Sanders

United States v. Sanders

Good Law
146 F. App'x 188
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitOctober 13, 2005No. 04-15382California318 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM **

Thomas Sanders appeals pro se the district court’s judgment denying his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion to vacate, set aside, or correct his sentence following his conviction for perjury, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1623 . We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2253 . We review de novo, see United States v. Fry, 322 F.3d 1198, 1200 (9th Cir.2003), and affirm.

Sanders contends that the prosecutor’s alleged misstatements in closing argument deprived him of due process. We are unpersuaded. Prosecutorial misconduct may warrant reversal when the prosecutor’s remarks “so infect[] the trial with unfairness as to make the resulting conviction a denial of due process.” Davis v. Woodford, 384 F.3d 628, 644 (9th Cir.2004) (quoting Darden v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 168, 181 , 106 S.Ct. 2464 , 91 L.Ed.2d 144 (1986)). Improper argument to the jury does not constitute reversible error unless it causes prejudice without remedy by the trial judge. See United States v. Lopez-Alvarez, 970 F.2d 583, 597-98 (9th Cir.1992) (dismissing prosecutorial misconduct charge because the jury was instructed that “the lawyers’ statements are not evidence,” and this was sufficient to neutralize any…

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