Court Opinion

ID: 9482058
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 08:38:58.825721+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:48:44.288629
License: Public Domain

HUG, Circuit Judge,
concurring opinion:
I add this concurring opinion to emphasize my strong feeling that the representation afforded by the defense counsel in this case undermines the basis of the adversary system. To the extent that the dissent characterizes the defense counsel’s representation as adequate or fulfilling the responsibilities of defense counsel, I most strongly disagree.
Defense counsel apparently believed that he fulfilled his obligation to the defendant by giving a little lecture on the operation of the criminal justice system. He failed to note that his obligation is not to be an independent observer and factfinder but, instead, an advocate for his client.
The American system of law is based on the adversary system — the prosecution presents the case in the light most persuasive to the Government’s point of view; the defense counsel is to defend the case in the way that can best represent the defendant. The judge instructs on the law, and the jury renders the verdict. It is not the function of the defense counsel to insert his personal opinion as to whether a reasonable doubt has been established. That is for the jury.
I don’t see how defense counsel’s argument can be read other than that, in his opinion, he finds no reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant. However, even if read, as the dissent contends, that counsel is just referring to certain elements of the case — identification and intimidation— these were the only possible bases for acquittal. Defense counsel is, in effect, saying that in his opinion there is no basis for acquitting the defendant.
In my opinion, he, in effect, said the defendant is guilty, and members of the jury should not feel bad about finding him guilty. This not only fails to uphold the responsibility of defense counsel, but it is also wrong from another standpoint. There are many cases that uphold admonitions by the trial court that defense counsel is not to inform the jury of his or her opinion of the guilt or innocence of the defendant. Customarily, this is when defense counsel asserts, in effect, “I believe this man is innocent because otherwise I would not be here defending him.” This is universally held to be an improper argument. United States v. Young, 470 U.S. 1, 8-9, 106 S.Ct. 1038, 1042-43, 84 L.Ed.2d 1 (1984) (“Defense counsel, like the prosecutor, must refrain from interjecting personal *1079beliefs into the presentation of his case”) (citations omitted); United States v. Swafford, 766 F.2d 426 (10th Cir.1985) (“... a lawyer’s assertion of personal opinion during trial is an example of improper advocacy”); United States v. Singer, 660 F.2d 1295 (8th Cir.1981) (“[a] personal expression of [a] defendant’s culpability, which inserts an extraneous and irrelevant issue before the jury, is ... objectionable”), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1156, 102 S.Ct. 1030, 71 L.Ed.2d 314 (1982); United States v. Alanis, 611 F.2d 123 (5th Cir.) (an attorney may not express his personal opinion regarding a defendant’s guilt), cert. denied, 445 U.S. 955, 100 S.Ct. 1607, 63 L.Ed.2d 791 (1980); United States v. Bess, 593 F.2d 749 (6th Cir.1979) (personal opinions of counsel have “no place at trial”); United States v. Cain, 544 F.2d 1113 (1st Cir.1976) (“It is, of course, elementary that statements of counsel as to personal belief or opinion are improper”).
Here, this counsel is doing the same thing in reverse. “I know he’s guilty so don’t feel bad about doing your job and finding him guilty.” He is just as much invading the province of the jury in this situation.
The defense counsel in this case had several options if he felt there was nothing he could say in reviewing the evidence that would be helpful to his client. First, he could have waived final argument and simply left the matter to the jury. Second, and preferably, he could have emphasized that in our criminal system a defendant can be found guilty only if guilt is found beyond a reasonable doubt and why that is an important factor in our system of justice. He could then have said: “You members of the jury have heard the evidence in this short trial and there is no point in my reviewing the evidence and the doubts and questions involved. It is up to you to evaluate the evidence and perform your vital responsibility in determining whether the Government has proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.” Third, the attorney could have made the same basic kind of remarks and tried to point out inconsistencies and weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. He certainly was not obligated nor ethically authorized to do what he did.
In short, the defense counsel may have been inexperienced; he may not have understood his proper role; but certainly this type of performance by defense counsel cannot be condoned as being in any way adequate in meeting the standards of the legal profession.