Respondent's Brief - Washington State Courts
Respondent's Brief - Washington State Courts
Respondent's Brief - Washington State Courts
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evinces an enduring and resulting prejudice' incurable by a jury<br />
instruction." <strong>State</strong> v. Larios-Lopez, 156 Wn. App. at 260.<br />
The defendant, however, cannot show that the argument was<br />
improper, much less flagrant andill-intentioned. Indeed, the prosecutor,<br />
here was simply summarizing the evidence in the record, and, at most,<br />
drawing a reasonable inference from that evidence.<br />
The contested argument is composed of two sentences.<br />
In the first, the deputy prosecutor said, flully "[ toilet trained and<br />
begins wetting the bed." RP 797. This was simply a summary of<br />
Ellsworth's testimony that C.D. had "began wetting herself," RP 530, and<br />
having "bedwetting problems," RP 539, "after already completing potty<br />
training." RP 530.<br />
The prosecutor's next sentence was that "Ellsworth was here and<br />
said yes, it can be relevant in treating someone's mental health, can be part<br />
of anxiety, ifs simply something noteworthy, less so obviously to the<br />
medical professionals." RP 797. This first part of this sentence was<br />
simply a summary of the testimony. Ellsworth did testify in this trial, RP<br />
522-43, and did testify that the fact that a child who had previously been<br />
fully "potty trained" regresses into bedwetting "can" but "not always" be<br />
an indicator that abuse has occurred. RP 541. Dr. Rebecca Wiester<br />
testified that "bedwetting is a very nonspecific symptom of anxiety,<br />
change," though "it's not something that we generally think of as an<br />
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