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Ellison v. StateEllison v. State

Nevada Supreme Court
Jan 14, 1971
6173
Reporters:
,
Before:
Per Curiam

OPINION

Per Curiam:

A jury found Ellison guilty of cattle theft. We are asked ‍​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to void the conviction because the prosecutor expressed his belief that the defendant was guilty. The evidence of guilt was substantial. Its ‍​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sufficiency is not questioned. The court instructed the jury that counsel’s statements were not evidence. The prosecutor’s several statements suggesting guilt and ‍​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his belief therein were made in relation to evidence pointing to guilt. Cf. State v. Cyty, 50 Nev. 256, 256 P. 793 (1927). Although the ‍​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍prosecutor should not have expressed his belief, his statements, within the context of this case, were harmless. NRS 177.255. 1

Affirmed.

Notes

1

Other assigned errors are not ‍​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍considered since no supporting authority is offered and none concern constitutional rights.

Case Details

Case Name: Ellison v. State
Court Name: Nevada Supreme Court
Date Published: Jan 14, 1971
Citations: 479 P.2d 461; 87 Nev. 4; 6173
Docket Number: 6173
Court Abbreviation: Nev.
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