donnelly dechristoforo argued february decided may course joint murder trial respondent codefendant pleaded guilty murder trial advised jury stating trial respondent continue summation prosecutor stated respondent counsel said hope find guilty quite frankly think hope find guilty something little less murder respondent counsel objected later sought instruction remark improper disregarded instructions trial prosecutor statement argument evidence declared challenged remark unsupported admonished jury ignore respondent convicted murder state highest ruled prosecutor remark though improper prejudicial warrant mistrial trial instruction sufficed safeguard respondent rights district denied respondent petition writ habeas corpus appeals reversed concluding challenged comment implied respondent like codefendant offered plead guilty lesser offense refused comment thus potentially misleading prejudicial deprive respondent constitutionally fair trial held circumstances case prosecutor ambiguous remark course extended trial followed trial specific disapproving instructions prejudice amounting denial constitutional due process shown miller pate brady maryland distinguished pp reversed rehnquist delivered opinion burger stewart white blackmun powell joined stewart filed concurring opinion white joined post douglas filed dissenting opinion part ii brennan marshall joined post david mills assistant attorney general massachusetts argued cause petitioner brief robert quinn attorney general john irwin barbara smith assistant attorneys general paul smith argued cause respondent brief harvey peters jeffrey smith melvin lewis filed brief national association criminal defense lawyers amicus curiae justice rehnquist delivered opinion respondent tried jury massachusetts superior convicted murder jury recommended death penalty imposed respondent sentenced life imprisonment appealed judicial massachusetts contending inter alia certain prosecutor remarks closing argument deprived constitutional right fair trial judicial affirmed acknowledged prosecutor made improper remarks determined prejudicial require reversal respondent sought habeas corpus relief district district massachusetts district denied relief stating prosecutor arguments prejudicial deprive dechristoforo constitutional right fair trial appeals first circuit reversed divided vote majority held prosecutor remarks deliberately conveyed false impression respondent unsuccessfully sought plead lesser charge conduct denial due process granted certiorari consider whether remarks context entire trial sufficiently prejudicial violate respondent due process rights hold reverse respondent two companions indicted murder joseph lanzi passenger car defendants riding police stopped car approximately april discovered lanzi dead body along two firearms one fired second gun also recently fired found short distance away respondent one companion avoided apprehension time third defendant taken custody later pleaded guilty murder respondent defendant gagliardi finally captured tried jointly prosecutor made little claim respondent fired shots argued willingly assisted killing respondent hand maintained innocent passenger close evidence final argument gagliardi elected plead guilty charge murder advised jury gagliardi pleaded guilty respondent trial continue respondent seek instruction jury draw inference plea instruction given respondent claims constitutional error focus two remarks made prosecutor course rather lengthy closing argument jury first involved expression personal opinion guilt perhaps offered rebut somewhat personalized argument respondent counsel majority appeals agreed judicial massachusetts remark improper declined rest holding violation due process remark turned second remark deemed serious prosecutor second challenged comment directed respondent motives standing trial respondent counsel said hope find guilty quite frankly think hope find guilty something little less murder respondent counsel objected immediately statement later sought instruction remark improper disregarded gave following instruction closing arguments evidence consideration closing district attorney noted made statement know want way verdict said hope find guilty quite frankly think hope find guilty something little less murder evidence whatsoever course instructed disregard statement made district attorney consider case though statement made appeals reasoned jury naturally curious respondent failure plead guilty curiosity heightened gagliardi decision plead guilty close evidence context thought prosecutor comment respondent hoped conviction lesser offense suggest jury respondent sought plead guilty refused since prosecutor position know facts jury may well surmised respondent already admitted guilt attempt secure reduced charges said appeals inverse parallel intentional suppression favorable evidence prosecutor deliberately misled jury even statement made thoughtlessly first degree murder case must duty prosecutor thoughtful therefore district erred denying respondent petition ii appeals case noted petitioner urged review narrow one due process broad exercise supervisory power possess regard trial regard observation important every trial error infirmity might call application supervisory powers correspondingly constitutes failure observe fundamental fairness essential concept justice lisenba california stated term cupp naughten reviewing instruction given state federal may overturn conviction resulting state trial instruction used must established merely instruction undesirable erroneous even universally condemned violated right guaranteed defendant fourteenth amendment conflicting inferences drawn prosecutor statement courts although appeals stated flatly prosecuting attorney turned gagliardi plea telling stroke dechristoforo implying respondent offered plead guilty well dissent found inference far less obvious judicial massachusetts stated considered argument illogical logical conclude jury accept implied argument prosecutor one men defendant blamed murder pleaded guilty defendant less firm assertion guilty crime whatsoever addition trial took special pains correct impression jury consider prosecutor statements evidence case prosecutor customary previously told jury argument evidence trial judge specifically point judge directed jury attention remark particularly challenged declared unsupported admonished jury ignore although occurrences trial may clearly prejudicial curative instruction mitigate effect comment case hardly character cupp naughten supra respondent challenged conviction ground presumption truthfulness instruction given state trial deprived presumption innocence shifted state burden proof holding instruction although perhaps advisable violate due process stated determining effect instruction validity respondent conviction accept outset proposition single instruction jury may judged artificial isolation must viewed context overall charge boyd mean instruction may never rise level constitutional error see cool recognize judgment conviction commonly culmination trial includes testimony witnesses argument counsel receipt exhibits evidence instruction jury judge thus challenged instruction one many instructions process instruction one several components trial may result judgment conviction iii find cases cited appeals require different result miller pate principal case relied upon held state prisoner entitled federal habeas relief upon showing pair stained undershorts allegedly belonging prisoner repeatedly described state trial stained blood fact stained paint course opinion said established counsel prosecution known time trial shorts stained paint record petitioner trial reflects prosecution consistent repeated misrepresentation people exhibit indeed garment heavily stained blood countenance retreat proposition observing falls far short embracing prosecutor remark case consistent repeated misrepresentation dramatic exhibit evidence may profoundly impress jury may significant impact jury deliberations isolated passages prosecutor argument billed advance jury matter opinion evidence reach proportions arguments like closing arguments counsel seldom carefully constructed toto event improvisation frequently results syntax left imperfect meaning less crystal clear general observations way justify prosecutorial misconduct suggest lightly infer prosecutor intends ambiguous remark damaging meaning jury sitting lengthy exhortation draw meaning plethora less damaging interpretations appeals reliance brady maryland likewise misplaced brady prosecutor withheld evidence statement petitioner codefendant directly relevant extent petitioner involvement crime since petitioner testified codefendant done actual shooting since petitioner counsel contesting guilt merely seeking avoid death penalty evidence degree petitioner participation highly significant primary jury issue miller manipulation evidence prosecution likely important effect jury determination neither introduction specific misleading evidence important prosecution case chief nondisclosure specific evidence valuable accused defense instead brief sentences prosecutor long expectably hortatory closing argument might might suggest jury respondent unsuccessfully sought bargain lesser charge find nothing brady suggest due process easily denied result reached appeals case leaves virtually meaningless distinction ordinary trial error prosecutor sort egregious misconduct held miller brady supra amount denial constitutional due process since believe distinction continue observed reverse judgment appeals ordered footnotes commonwealth dechristoforo mass app trial stated foreman madam gentlemen jury notice defendant gagliardi dock pleaded guilty case disposed therefore go forward trial case commonwealth vs dechristoforo app challenged remark honestly sincerely believe doubt case none whatsoever appeals noted least jury knows prosecutor advocate may expected degree discount remarks seller talk app instruction sought time although apparently willing give one trial judge later told counsel ad motion made time instruct jury along lines eliminating minds something nature certainly complied consider time argument beyond grounds complete propriety certainly far grounds mistrial respondent suggest prosecutor statements may deprived right confrontation see pointer texas argument without merit prosecutor simply stated opinions introduced statements made persons unavailable questioning trial campbell dissenting app see supra see mooney holohan napue illinois decision way condone prosecutorial misconduct believe trial courts admonition instruction appellate courts proper exercise supervisory power continue discourage say circumstances case prejudice amounting denial constitutional due process shown justice stewart justice white joins concurring agree brother douglas new principle law presented generally leave undisturbed decision appeals upon particular facts case habeas corpus relief granted denied reason think mistake grant writ certiorari case dismiss writ improvidently granted bound however rule four rule ordains votes four justices enough grant certiorari bring case decision merits many four justices remain minded oral argument due adherence rule requires address merits case however strongly may feel belong see ferguson lines separate opinion harlan upon premise join opinion justice douglas dissenting function prosecutor federal constitution tack many skins victims possible wall function vindicate right people expressed laws give accused crime fair trial stated berger attorney representative ordinary party controversy sovereignty whose obligation govern impartially compelling obligation govern whose interest therefore criminal prosecution shall win case justice shall done peculiar definite sense servant law aim guilt shall escape innocence suffer may prosecute earnestness vigor indeed may strike hard blows liberty strike foul ones much duty refrain improper methods calculated produce wrongful conviction use every legitimate means bring one case respondent charged murder convicted state jury time seek plead guilty lesser offense stipulated time defendant seek plead guilty offense time commonwealth seek solicit offer accept plea times defendant insisted upon trial guilt respondent prosecutor told jury honestly sincerely believe doubt case none whatsoever went say quite frankly think hope find guilty something little less murder statements setting case light fact jury knew codefendant pleaded guilty murder subtle equivalent statement prosecutor respondent sought lesser penalty counsel respondent immediately objected time admonish prosecutor tell jury disregard statement though cover matter later general instructions matter federal law introduction withdrawn plea guilty admissible evidence kercheval matter procedural due process confrontation clause sixth amendment applicable reason fourteenth amendment pointer texas bar person testifying defendant sought guilty plea unless right witness afforded requirement procedural due process sedulously enforced save recognized exceptions dying declarations like lest theory end justifies means gains footholds prosecutor witness permitted add record either subtle gross improprieties experienced full thrust power government leveled know protection citizen requirement fair trial assurance make retreat constitutional government today decision therefore hollow ring activist judges brought federal habeas corpus disrepute present time guaranteed constitution restraint judges state federal also restraint prosecutors officers activist tendencies promote law order constitutional law order judges tyrants often prosecutors often eager take almost shortcut win yet said represent ordinary party people noted duty much refrain improper methods calculated produce wrongful conviction use every legitimate means bring one berger supra submit quite improper prosecutor insinuate jury existence evidence record introduced without privilege ii judicial massachusetts difficulty case came direct appeal two justices included chief justice dissenting commonwealth dechristoforo mass appeals also divided federal district courts courts appeals much closer law administration respective washington responsible federal judges know federal constitution well error issuing great writ refusing judgment egregious us grant petition certiorari appeals honors constitution granting great writ solemn judgment denies let matter rest save manifest error affirm judgment justice brennan justice marshall affirm judgment reasons stated part ii dissent justice douglas chief justice tauro said dissent prosecutor argument instant case permitted perhaps even suggested inference defendant conceded guilt merely hoping something little less verdict murder first degree diminished chance fair trial far greater degree publication newspaper criminal background unlike newspaper prosecutor ostensibly speaks authority office prosecutor personal status role spokesman government tend ed give said ring authenticity tend ing impart implicit stamp believability hall prosecutor remarks probably called mistrial event judge failure instruct jury adequately sufficient force eliminate serious prejudice defendant constitutes fatal error moreover judge routine final instructions jury far sufficient correct error defendant position deteriorated chances fair deliberation fate jury virtually eliminated