During cross examination of the defendant in a
drug trafficking case, the prosecutor read back supposed language of defendant,
made during a earlier change of plea proceeding (the plea was later withdrawn).
What he read back appeared to contradict the defendant's trial testimony; based
on this, the prosecutor accused defendant of lying. However, the prosecutor had
presented an altered version of the earlier exchange; the true statement
reflected defendant had not contradicted herself.
When the defense attorney
discovered the prosecutor's misrepresentation, he moved for a mistrial, which
was granted. The defense then moved to dismiss the indictment with prejudice on
double jeopardy grounds, but this was denied by the district court. Affirmed.
Under Oregon v. Kennedy (1982) 456 U.S. 667, double jeopardy bars retrial after
a defense-requested mistrial is granted "only where the government conduct
in question is intended to 'goad' the defendant into moving for a mistrial."
In this case, the prosecutor’s misrepresentation was intended to secure a
conviction. "In other words . . . the Double Jeopardy Clause bars retrial
when a prosecutor's misconduct aims to 'burn' the jury, but not when he merely
aims to convict the defendant by methods foul." In this case, double
jeopardy does not bar retrial under the Oregon v. Kennedy "goading"
exception.
© 2011 Darren Chaker. All Rights Reserved.
