State v. Hammond

CLEMENS, Judge.

Defendant has appealed a judgment of life imprisonment pursuant to a jury verdict which found him guilty of first degree murder. On appeal defendant challenges two trial court rulings made during closing argument — the denial of a mistrial because of the prosecutor’s statements about a lineup identification by a witness, and the admittance of comments relating to “reasonable doubt.”

Both points raise the issue of permissible oral argument, a matter on which the trial court has wide discretion. State v. Williams, 376 S.W.2d 133[7] (Mo.1964). We view defendant’s contention of…