People v. Lopez

Opinion

KENNARD, J.

In this case, a jury convicted defendant, a Catholic priest, of seven sex offenses involving three teenage youths. The Court of Appeal reversed the convictions, concluding that the prosecutor committed misconduct in her closing and rebuttal arguments to the jury, and that defense counsel’s failure to object to the misconduct violated defendant’s constitutional right to the effective assistance of counsel. We hold that the prosecutor’s comments were not misconduct and that defense counsel was not incompetent for not objecting.

I

A. Victim Gerardo V.

Gerardo V., who lived with…