UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE,
v.
PHILIP MICHAEL MEMOLI, DEFENDANT-APPELLANT

9th Cir. | 1971-09-28
No. 25641
449 F.2d 160 United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1971) Positive Treatment
Cited by 10 cases

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Holding

The court held that misstatements by the prosecutor and ineffective assistance of counsel did not deprive the appellant of a fair trial.


Facts & Procedural History

Appellant was convicted of interstate transportation of a stolen car. He appealed, claiming prosecutorial misstatements and ineffective assistance of …

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM:

PER CURIAM:

Appellant appeals from a conviction and sentence for interstate transportation of a stolen car, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2312. We affirm.

The appellant claims that misstatements by the prosecutor during opening and closing arguments deprived him of a fair trial. No objection was made to the statements. No instruction was requested and none given that arguments of counsel are not evidence. Not all misstatements require a reversal of a conviction. Mares v. United States (10 Cir. 1968) 409 F. 2d 1083, 1085. And, in the absence of an objection plain error must appear. Leonard v. United States (9 Cir. 1960) 277 F. 2d 834, 841.

We have examined the record and the claimed prejudice is clearly not plain error, but assuming an objection was made, the claims of prejudice are clearly insubstantial. See generally, Frazier v. Cupp, 394 U.S. 731, 89 S.Ct. 1420, 22 L.Ed.2d 684 (1969).

Likewise, the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, notwithstanding appellate counsel’s description of trial counsel’s efforts, is clearly without merit. Appellant did not object to his representation below. Our review of the record does not disclose representation so inadequate that the trial court’s failure to notice it was plain error. United States v. Sullivan (9 Cir. 1970) 435 F. 2d 650, 652.

The judgment of conviction is affirmed.


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