United States v. Bridget M. Mandelbaum

GENE CARTER, District Judge.

The appellant, Bridget M. Mandelbaum, was convicted by a jury of theft of government property in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641. Appellant was acquitted on four counts of willfully making false statements on applications for housing benefits in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Appellant argues that prosecutor’s statement to the jury using the words “Do your duty and return a verdict of guilty” constituted reversible error. We conclude that although the prosecutor’s exhortation was improper, it did not cause substantial prejudice warranting reversal.

The government’s…