Court Opinion

ID: 9682882
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 13:19:01.844273+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:42.885951
License: Public Domain

CARL R. GAERTNER, Judge,
concurring.
I concur but write separately in order to express my continuing bewilderment over the persistent tactic of over zealous assistant circuit attorneys and prosecuting attorneys in inviting mistrials or reversals by exceeding well-established limitations governing final arguments. It has consistently been held improper to arouse in jurors a personal hostility toward, or a personal fear of the defendant, or for the prosecutor to speculate as to possible future conduct of the defendant. See State v. Heinrich, 492 S.W.2d 109, 114 (Mo.App.1973) and the cases cited therein. Nevertheless, in this case the assistant circuit attorney, in next to his last words to the jury, warns the jurors not to put the defendant “back out on the street to do it again.” Such personalized argument goes beyond legitimate comment concerning crime prevention and evils to society in general. See State v. Walls, 744 S.W.2d 791, 798 (Mo. banc 1988). The prompt objection of defendant’s trial counsel should not have been overruled.
Nevertheless, under the circumstances of this case I agree with the majority this error does not warrant reversal. The jury had before it defendant’s own testimony in which he had admitted that between 1978 and 1985 he was convicted of two or three robberies, stealing, two assaults, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana. Defendant’s attorney argued his client would not commit robbery because he was a pimp and could “make more money from his girls.” In view of all this, the uncalled for and unnecessary misconduct of the assistant circuit attorney in speculating that defendant would commit other crimes if put back on the street is not likely to have had a decisive effect upon the verdict. Accordingly, I concur.