How have the courts treated the reasonable doubt standard in their closing arguments?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Enloe, C071987 (Cal. App. 2015):

Defendant offers examples where a prosecutor trivializes the reasonable doubt standard by analogizing them to everyday decisions like changing lanes or getting married. (People v. Nguyen (1995) 40 Cal.App.4th 28, 35-36.) But that is not what the prosecutor did during his rebuttal. The prosecutor acknowledged that the beyond a reasonable doubt standard is rightfully the highest standard of proof in the country. But to demonstrate that the standard is not unobtainable, he simply pointed out the true fact that people are convicted in every state in the nation under this rigorous standard of proof. Thus, rather than trivializing the standard, he actually paid homage to its rigor, while at the same time tempering the impression the jury might have derived from defense counsel's closing argument that proof beyond a reasonable doubt was nearly impossible to achieve. His argument in no way implied that convicting a defendant of crimes beyond a reasonable doubt was comparable to "every day" decisions (ibid.) or in any other way improperly trivialized the standard of proof.

Other Questions


How have courts treated arguments of counsel in the context of the reasonable doubt standard and presumption of innocence? (California, United States of America)
In closing argument in a personal injury case, can the court admonish the appellant on appeal for failing to object to any statements in closing argument? (California, United States of America)
In a sexual assault case, in what circumstances would the jury have considered a defense counsel's closing argument that the prosecutor's rebuttal to the closing argument had the trial court sustained an objection? (California, United States of America)
What is the standard of proof for a prosecutor to argue that a reasonable doubt standard is reasonable? (California, United States of America)
Is there a reasonable likelihood that a prosecutor's comment at the closing argument was directed solely at the persuasive force of defense counsel's closing argument? (California, United States of America)
What is the reasonable doubt standard in closing arguments? (California, United States of America)
How have courts treated the "reasonable person" standard in the context of the reasonable person test? (California, United States of America)
Does the absence of lingering doubt from a recitation of evidence the defense offered in an attempt to raise reasonable doubt raise a reasonable doubt? (California, United States of America)
How have the courts treated the reasonable doubt standard in a motor vehicle case? (California, United States of America)
What is the difference between the "no reasonable possibility" standard and the "harmless beyond a reasonable doubt" standard? (California, United States of America)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.