Opinion ID: 524322
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Missing Records

Text: 37 A question also arose about the alleged destruction of certain store records. At trial, DeGeratto's counsel argued that Piazzi's testimony linking DeGeratto to the stolen meat transactions should not be believed because the government failed to introduce the checks and falsified invoices Piazzi claimed DeGeratto wrote to conceal the purchases of stolen meat. The government presented evidence that it had, more than once, unsuccessfully attempted to subpoena certain business records of the Loren Corporation from DeGeratto during the grand jury investigation with the stolen meat transactions. DeGeratto countered with evidence that he had each time told the government that he did not possess the records and that they could be obtained from the Loren Corporation offices. Just before trial in February 1988, the government finally served a subpoena on the Loren Corporation which complied by providing those records requested that could be found. There was evidence that some records were missing, although no evidence was offered suggesting that DeGeratto was at fault. 38 In final argument, however, the prosecutor went beyond the evidence and stated that the missing records had obviously been suppressed and are sitting in an ash tray somewhere. The prosecutor was warned by the court not to go outside the record, but he did by accusing DeGeratto, again without proof, in the prosecutor's words, of deep sixing the records. DeGeratto's counsel objected to this line of argument and moved for a mistrial which was denied. At oral argument before this court, the prosecutor, to his credit, conceded that at trial he had gone too far and had done a little testifying himself. 39 When argument departs from the facts in evidence, even without objection, the error may be so prejudicial as to be reversible. United States v. Fearns, 501 F.2d 486, 488-89 (7th Cir.1974). See also United States v. Davis, 532 F.2d 22, 27-28 (7th Cir.1976). While there may have been sufficient evidence at least to argue the inference that the defendant had destroyed incriminating records, it could not be stated to the jury, as a fact known to the prosecutor, that DeGeratto destroyed evidence. The missing evidence instruction given to the jury over defense objection only served to exacerbate the prejudicial effect of the prosecutor's comments. Sometimes in the heat of argument that line between proper and improper argument may be unintentionally crossed. In this case it was prejudicially crossed.