State v. Lewis ( 2020 )


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  •                       NOTICE: NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION.
    UNDER ARIZONA RULE OF THE SUPREME COURT 111(c), THIS DECISION IS NOT PRECEDENTIAL
    AND MAY BE CITED ONLY AS AUTHORIZED BY RULE.
    IN THE
    ARIZONA COURT OF APPEALS
    DIVISION ONE
    STATE OF ARIZONA, Appellee,
    v.
    MICHAEL DELVIN LEWIS, Appellant.
    No. 1 CA-CR 20-0010
    FILED 12-15-2020
    Appeal from the Superior Court in Yavapai County
    No. V1300CR201780595
    The Honorable Michael R. Bluff, Judge
    AFFIRMED
    COUNSEL
    Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Phoenix
    By Michael Valenzuela
    Counsel for Appellee
    Law Office of Gonzales & Poirier, P.L.L.C., Flagstaff
    By Tony Gonzales
    Counsel for Appellant
    STATE v. LEWIS
    Decision of the Court
    MEMORANDUM DECISION
    Judge Maria Elena Cruz delivered the decision of the Court, in which
    Presiding Judge James B. Morse Jr. and Judge Paul J. McMurdie joined.
    C R U Z, Judge:
    ¶1           Michael Delvin Lewis appeals his convictions and sentences
    for one count of aggravated driving while under the influence (license
    suspended), a Class 4 felony; one count of unlawful flight from law
    enforcement, a Class 5 felony; and four counts of endangerment, Class 6
    dangerous felonies. For the following reasons, we affirm.
    FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
    ¶2             Around 9:00 p.m. one evening, Lewis merged into a
    roundabout without yielding and nearly collided with a police officer’s
    vehicle. Lewis then drove over the roundabout’s curb and through the
    roundabout center, prompting the officer to activate his emergency lights.
    Lewis did not pull over and drove toward I-17. As Lewis attempted to turn
    onto I-17, he almost hit a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, and the
    vehicle had to stop to avoid being hit head-on by Lewis.
    ¶3            As Lewis merged onto I-17, the officer estimated Lewis’ speed
    to be up to 90 miles per hour. Lewis approached another vehicle, forcing it
    to move to the right shoulder to avoid being rear-ended by Lewis. The
    officer then activated his siren, continued to pursue Lewis, and observed
    Lewis’ tires hitting the center lane line. Cars driving to Lewis’ right were
    forced to move out of the way to avoid being hit. The officer estimated that
    Lewis was driving about 120 miles per hour.
    ¶4            Lewis suddenly swerved across two lanes of traffic to exit the
    highway. To pass slower vehicles, Lewis drove around the cars in the
    opposing traffic lane. Lewis drove through a stop sign and turned left
    toward another vehicle making a turn. The driver of the turning vehicle
    was forced to stop and allow Lewis to drive around him to avoid a collision.
    After the turn, Lewis abruptly stopped and exited his vehicle. The officer
    commanded Lewis to get on the ground, and Lewis complied. The officer
    handcuffed Lewis, and as he escorted Lewis to his patrol car, the officer
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    STATE v. LEWIS
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    detected an odor of alcohol on Lewis. The officer also noted that Lewis
    stumbled as he walked to the police car.
    ¶5            The officer placed Lewis in the back of the car and completed
    an inventory search of Lewis’ car. Two other officers arrived as back up.
    The officers saw an open can of beer in the center console of Lewis’ car, as
    well as an opened thirty-pack case of beer in the passenger seat. An officer
    returned to the police vehicle to speak with Lewis and found Lewis sleeping
    or unconscious. The officer removed Lewis from the back of the vehicle
    and requested a medical team. While waiting for the medics to arrive, the
    officer woke Lewis by performing a “sternum rub” on Lewis. The officer
    noted that Lewis seemed confused, stating he did not know why the police
    were there and why they were talking to him. All three officers detected
    the odor of alcohol, and they noticed Lewis’ eyes were bloodshot and
    watery, that he swayed while seated, and slurred his speech as he spoke.
    ¶6             Police learned that Lewis’ driver’s license was revoked in
    2004. Lewis declined to perform standard field sobriety tests and refused
    to consent to a breath or blood sample.1 Lewis was transported to the police
    station and charged with aggravated driving under the influence with a
    suspended license, unlawful flight from a law enforcement vehicle, and
    four endangerment counts.
    ¶7            Following three days of trial, the jury found Lewis guilty on
    all counts as charged. The superior court sentenced Lewis as a repetitive
    offender to concurrent and consecutive prison terms totaling fifteen-and-a-
    quarter years. Lewis timely appealed, and we have jurisdiction pursuant
    to Arizona Revised Statutes (“A.R.S.”) sections 12-120.21(A)(1) and 13-
    4033(A)(1).
    1       Officers obtained a telephonic search warrant to perform a blood
    draw and determine Lewis’ blood alcohol content. However, before the
    trial, Lewis successfully challenged the warrant because the officers failed
    to record the telephone conversation with the judge and one page of the
    warrant was missing the judge’s signature. As a result, the court found it
    was unable to determine the basis on which the magistrate had issued the
    warrant.
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    STATE v. LEWIS
    Decision of the Court
    DISCUSSION
    ¶8          Lewis argues the State committed prosecutorial misconduct
    by making several improper statements during closing arguments that
    deprived him of a fair trial and due process of law.2
    ¶9             Prosecutors are given wide latitude in their closing
    arguments to the jury. State v. Boag, 
    104 Ariz. 362
    , 366 (1969). “To prevail
    on a claim of prosecutorial misconduct, a defendant must demonstrate that
    the prosecutor’s misconduct so infected the trial with unfairness as to make
    the resulting conviction a denial of due process.” State v. Morris, 
    215 Ariz. 324
    , 335, ¶ 46 (2007) (quoting State v. Hughes, 
    193 Ariz. 72
    , 79, ¶ 26 (1998))
    (internal quotation marks omitted). Prosecutorial misconduct constitutes
    reversible error only if “a reasonable likelihood exists that the misconduct
    could have affected the jury’s verdict, thereby denying defendant a fair
    trial.” 
    Id.
     (quoting State v. Anderson, 
    210 Ariz. 327
    , 340, ¶ 45 (2005)).
    ¶10            We first assess each claim of misconduct individually. The
    applicable standard of review depends upon whether there was an
    objection to the alleged misconduct. State v. Arias, 
    248 Ariz. 546
    , 555, ¶ 31
    (App. 2020). When a defendant objects to a comment in closing argument,
    we review for harmless error. 
    Id.
     “Harmless error review places the burden
    on the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the error did not
    contribute to or affect the verdict or sentence.” State v. Henderson, 
    210 Ariz. 561
    , 567, ¶ 18 (2005). However, if the defendant fails to object, we review
    only for fundamental error. Arias, 248 Ariz. at 555, ¶ 31. Fundamental error
    is an error that goes to the foundation of the case, error that takes from the
    defendant a right essential to his defense, or error so egregious the
    defendant could not possibly have received a fair trial. State v. Escalante,
    
    245 Ariz. 135
    , 142, ¶ 21 (2018). To prevail, a defendant must establish both
    that fundamental error exists and that the error caused him prejudice.
    Henderson, 
    210 Ariz. at 567, ¶ 20
    .
    ¶11          After determining which claims constitute error, we review
    the cumulative misconduct to determine whether the total effect rendered
    the defendant’s trial unfair. State v. Hulsey, 
    243 Ariz. 367
    , 388, ¶ 88 (2018).
    Where a defendant claims multiple incidents of prosecutorial misconduct,
    2      Lewis does not argue, and we do not separately find, that any
    prosecutorial misconduct committed here also equated to professional or
    ethical misconduct by the prosecutor. See In re Martinez, 
    248 Ariz. 458
    , 469-
    70, ¶¶ 42-47 (2020).
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    STATE v. LEWIS
    Decision of the Court
    for which he failed to object, cumulatively deprived him of a fair trial, the
    defendant must:
    1) assert cumulative error exists; 2) cite to the record where
    the alleged instances of misconduct occurred; 3) cite to legal
    authority establishing that the alleged instances constitute
    prosecutorial misconduct; and 4) set forth the reasons why the
    cumulative misconduct denied the defendant a fair trial with
    citation to applicable legal authority.
    State v. Vargas, 
    249 Ariz. 186
    , 190, ¶ 14 (2020).
    I.     Comments About Lewis Going on a “Beer Run”
    ¶12          Lewis argues that the State improperly testified to facts not in
    evidence by stating that Lewis had gone on a “beer run.” Specifically, the
    prosecutor began his closing arguments by saying:
    The State’s theory of the case is as follows: In the evening of
    October 27th, 2017, the defendant was drinking some time
    before 9:00 p.m. He ran out of alcohol and he needed to do a
    beer run. The defendant made a decision to get into his
    vehicle --.
    At this point, defense counsel objected to the remarks, stating the
    prosecutor was arguing facts not in evidence by claiming the defendant had
    been consuming alcohol before he ran out and needed to go on a “beer run.”
    The court called the parties to the bench for a conference out of the jury
    panel’s hearing. The court agreed that there was no evidence of any kind
    of a “beer run” but ultimately decided to overrule the objection after the
    prosecutor stated he would move on.
    ¶13            While prosecutors are permitted to argue “all reasonable
    inferences from the evidence,” they cannot “make insinuations that are not
    supported by the evidence.” Hughes, 
    193 Ariz. at 85, ¶ 59
    . The State argues
    that the prosecutor made a reasonable inference based upon the evidence,
    which included a police officer observing Lewis driving erratically, leading
    the officer to suspect Lewis was intoxicated and to conduct a traffic stop.
    And upon conducting that traffic stop, the officer found a case of beer in the
    passenger seat of Lewis’ car. Even assuming the “beer run” argument was
    not a reasonable inference based upon the admitted evidence, the comment
    was brief and inconsequential, and we cannot say it affected the jury’s
    verdict. See Hulsey, 243 Ariz. at 392, ¶ 114.
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    STATE v. LEWIS
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    ¶14           Although Lewis contends this statement “purposely injected
    evidence ‘of a beer run’ into the case” to “support the State’s theory that he
    was heavily impaired or drunk,” the State only needed to prove Lewis was
    impaired to the slightest degree. Further, the prosecutor properly
    characterized his argument that Lewis went on a “beer run” as the State’s
    theory of the case. The court instructed the jurors that anything said in
    closing arguments was not evidence and “[w]e presume that the jurors
    followed the court’s instructions.” See State v. Newell, 
    212 Ariz. 389
    , 403,
    ¶ 68 (2006). We find no error.
    II.    Comments About Lewis’ Driving Speeds and the Risk of an Accident
    ¶15          Lewis also argues that the prosecutor improperly referenced
    specialized knowledge and scientific opinions during closing arguments
    when discussing Lewis’ driving speed. The prosecutor stated:
    Of course as the speeds get up, the likelihood of death
    substantially increases. And we all know from, once again,
    life experience, when things happen at 70, 75 miles per hour
    on a highway, 90 miles per hour on a highway, they don’t end
    good. Vehicles just aren’t equipped to -- to handle crashes
    that bad. And we know from our experience that had there
    been an accident, had the defendant hit one of those cars, the
    possibilities that could have happened are unlimited and that
    a substantial and imminent risk was imposed to all those who
    the defendant nearly struck being killed due to high speed,
    highway speeds.
    Lewis contends the prosecutor “attempted to mask” the statements as
    common sense, when in reality this “sort of testimony comes from accident
    reconstruction experts or scientific evidence or physics, and is not within
    the general knowledge or common sense of a lay person or juror.” Lewis
    did not object to these statements at trial. Therefore, Lewis has waived
    review of this claim on appeal unless this court finds fundamental error.
    Arias, 248 Ariz. at 555, ¶ 31.
    ¶16           The prosecutor committed no error by making these
    statements, let alone fundamental error. It is common knowledge that
    increased driving speeds increase the likelihood of death in the event of an
    accident. See Hernandez-Diaz v. State, 
    577 S.W.3d 757
    , 759-60 (Ark. Ct. App.
    2019) (stating that “common sense” supported conclusion that driver
    “endangered others and manifested extreme indifference to human life”
    through excessive speed (approaching 115 mph) and aggressive driving);
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    STATE v. LEWIS
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    Can. Life Assurance Co. v. Pendleton Mem’l Methodist Hosp., Civ. A. 98-3469,
    
    1999 WL 243653
    , at *4 (E.D. La. 1999) (“The dangers of driving while
    intoxicated and driving at excessive rates of speed while eluding arrest are
    common knowledge . . . .”). The prosecutor was not required to hire an
    accident reconstructionist to testify as to Lewis’ risk when speeding, as
    Lewis contends on appeal. These statements were not improper and did
    not result in error.
    III.   Refusal Evidence
    ¶17          Lewis also argues that the prosecutor improperly commented
    on Lewis’ refusal to submit to breath or blood tests. Section 28-1388(D)
    provides that:
    If a person under arrest refuses to submit to a test or tests
    under section 28-1321, whether or not a sample was collected
    pursuant to subsection E of this section or a search warrant,
    evidence of refusal is admissible in any civil or criminal action
    or other proceeding. The issue of refusal is an issue of fact to
    be determined by the trier of fact in all cases.
    A.R.S. § 28-1388(D). Lewis contends that although his refusal to submit to
    testing was admissible, the prosecutor committed misconduct by stating
    Lewis’ refusal was indicia of his guilt.
    ¶18           Following the State’s presentation of evidence and out of the
    presence of the jury, defense counsel brought up his concern to the superior
    court regarding the admission of Lewis’ refusal to submit to sobriety
    testing:
    The whole idea that the State can argue that his refusal is
    indicia of his guilt is a violation of the Fifth Amendment. If
    counsel gets up and argues that, I’m going to object during
    his closing. I’d rather not do that. I don’t like to do that, but
    I don’t think you can argue that. You certainly can bring it
    up, but the case law says you can bring it up and say he
    refused, but you can’t argue saying because he refused
    obviously he was guilty.
    The superior court agreed with defense counsel, and the prosecutor
    responded:
    And, Judge, the State’s argument would be he refused, not the
    result is that he’s guilty, but there’s a reasonable inference to
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    STATE v. LEWIS
    Decision of the Court
    be drawn from that refusal and that -- that reasonable
    inference the State would infer is that he is under the
    influence of alcohol.
    The superior court responded:
    I think that gets close. You know, I’m not sure exactly what
    you’re going to argue to the jury, but if [defense counsel]
    objects to that or you’re trying to get them to make the
    inference because he refused he must be drunk, I think that’s
    an improper inference for the State.
    The prosecutor stated he understood defense counsel’s position, as well as
    the court’s position.
    ¶19          However, during closing arguments, the prosecutor stated:
    Defendant’s refusal to provide a blood and breath test.
    There’s a reasonable inference to be drawn from that. The
    reasonable inference why the defendant did not want to
    provide breath or blood to a law enforcement officer in this
    case is because he knew his level of impairment and he knew
    that if he submitted to a test it would not show well for him,
    it would not work in the benefit of -- in his benefit. It would
    not exonerate him. It would convict him and so he chose not
    to provide that evidence.
    Defense counsel did not object to the statements. Later during closing, the
    prosecutor again referenced Lewis’ refusal to submit to sobriety tests:
    Defendant’s refusal to perform standard field sobriety tests.
    It’s a reasonable inference that those tests are there to
    determine one’s level of impairment. Defendant refused to
    do those and the reasonable inference to be drawn from that
    is that the defendant needed --.
    ¶20           Defense counsel objected before the prosecutor could finish
    his sentence, and the superior court called a bench conference and excused
    the jurors for a recess. Defense counsel stated that the prosecutor “was
    getting ready to the say the inference is that [Lewis] was under the
    influence.” Once more, the court warned the prosecutor, “I’m not going to
    let you say the inference is he was under the influence so figure out
    something else to say.” When the jury returned, the prosecutor once more
    commented on Lewis’ refusal during closing, arguing that on the night of
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    STATE v. LEWIS
    Decision of the Court
    his arrest, Lewis was “not cooperating with the DUI investigation because
    he knew it wouldn’t work in his favor.” Defense counsel did not object to
    this statement.
    ¶21            “In evaluating the propriety of a prosecutor’s argument, this
    court analyzes whether the remarks called to the jurors’ attention matters
    that they should not consider, and whether, ‘under the circumstances of the
    particular case, [the remarks] probably influenced’ the jurors.” State v.
    Roque, 
    213 Ariz. 193
    , 224, ¶ 128 (2006) (quoting Sullivan v. State, 
    47 Ariz. 224
    ,
    238 (1936), abrogated on other grounds, State v. Escalante-Orozco, 
    241 Ariz. 254
    (2017), abrogated on other grounds by Escalante, 245 Ariz. at 140 ¶¶ 15–16).
    Here, the prosecutor’s comments were improper. Although A.R.S. § 28-
    1388(D) allows for the admission of Lewis’ refusal to submit to blood or
    breath tests, the prosecutor went too far in commenting on Lewis’ guilt.
    ¶22            While the United States Supreme Court has not held that
    Fourth Amendment protections apply to criminal defendants subjected to
    alcohol breath tests, the Court has held that a compelled blood draw is
    subject to Fourth Amendment constraints. See Birchfield v. North Dakota, 
    136 S. Ct. 2160
    , 2177-78 (2016) (noting breath tests do not implicate significant
    privacy concerns); Missouri v. McNeely, 
    569 U.S. 141
    , 148 (2013) (describing
    a blood draw as “an invasion of bodily integrity [that] implicates an
    individual’s ‘most personal and deep-rooted expectations of privacy’”
    (quoting Winston v. Lee, 
    470 U.S. 753
    , 760 (1985))); see also State v. Butler, 
    232 Ariz. 84
    , 87, ¶ 10 (2013). Because Lewis has a Fourth Amendment right to
    refuse a blood draw, the prosecutor improperly used this refusal as direct,
    substantive evidence of Lewis’ guilt when he indicated Lewis refused the
    test because he was impaired. See State v. Stevens, 
    228 Ariz. 411
    , 417, ¶ 16
    (App. 2012) (holding it was error to permit “the State to introduce as direct
    evidence of guilt that [the defendant] invoked her Fourth Amendment
    rights and then argue she did so because she knew police would find illegal
    drugs and drug paraphernalia inside her house” in a case involving
    defendant’s refusal to allow a warrantless search of her home); see also State
    v. Palenkas, 
    188 Ariz. 201
    , 212 (App. 1996) (finding violation of due process
    rights to a fair trial in a case involving defendant’s refusal to consent to a
    warrantless search because the prosecutor “creat[ed] an inference that
    defendant’s invocation of constitutional rights was evidence of his guilt”).
    ¶23          Undoubtedly, admitting evidence of a defendant’s refusal to
    submit to sobriety testing is an important and judicially recognized legal
    consequence to deter impaired driving. See Birchfield, 136 S. Ct. at 2169,
    2185; McNeely, 
    569 U.S. at 161
    ; South Dakota v. Neville, 
    459 U.S. 553
    , 560
    (1983). However, the legal consequence of such a refusal is not without its
    9
    STATE v. LEWIS
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    limitations. See Birchfield, 136 S. Ct. at 2185-86 (“Motorists may not be
    criminally punished for refusing to submit to a blood test based on legally
    implied consent to submit to them.”). Because, at a minimum, Lewis has a
    Fourth Amendment right to refuse a compelled blood draw, the prosecutor
    went a step too far in telling jurors the reasonable inference to be drawn
    from Lewis’ refusal is that he was impaired, instead of allowing the jurors
    to draw their own inferences.
    ¶24           Defense counsel did not make timely objections to the
    prosecutor’s comments. Defense counsel objected twice to the prosecutor
    stating Lewis’ refusal to submit to testing gave rise to the inference that he
    was intoxicated. However, both objections were in anticipation to the
    prosecutor making such statements. Defense counsel did not object once
    the prosecutor actually made these statements, e.g., that Lewis did not
    cooperate with the DUI investigation because “he knew his level of
    impairment,” cooperation “would not exonerate him” but “it would
    convict him,” and sobriety testing “wouldn’t work in his favor.” See State
    v. Moody, 
    208 Ariz. 424
    , 464, ¶ 179 (2004) (finding a failure to make a
    contemporaneous objection to prosecutor’s comments limited court’s
    review “to one for fundamental error only”); see also State v. Lopez, 
    217 Ariz. 433
    , 434-35, ¶ 4 (App. 2008) (explaining to preserve an issue for appeal, a
    party must make a timely objection, stating the specific ground of the
    objection to give the court an opportunity to correct any error). Thus, we
    review for fundamental error.
    ¶25             The State presented evidence that Lewis drove through a stop
    sign, nearly hit a police officer’s vehicle, drove up the curb of a roundabout,
    refused to immediately pull over after the officer turned on his lights and
    sirens, crossed over the lane lines, drove on the wrong side of the road,
    nearly collided with other vehicles, and drove at very high speeds. The
    State also presented evidence that once Lewis was finally detained,
    multiple officers smelled alcohol on Lewis, observed he had watery and
    bloodshot eyes, slurred his speech, and had difficulty walking or standing.
    Officers also testified that Lewis momentarily passed out in the police car’s
    backseat shortly after detaining him. Given that the prosecutor was
    allowed to admit into evidence Lewis’ refusal to submit to testing, and
    given the overwhelming evidence supporting Lewis’ convictions, on
    balance, the prosecutor’s comments on Lewis’ guilt did not deprive him of
    a fair trial or due process. See Newell, 
    212 Ariz. at 403-04, ¶ 70
    ; Arias, 248
    Ariz. at 564, ¶ 73.
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    IV.    Appeal to the Jury’s Passions and Fears
    ¶26           Lewis argues the prosecutor improperly argued and appealed
    to the passions and fears of the jury. During closing, the prosecutor stated:
    You are the voice of this community. The State asks you to
    hold him accountable. Look at the facts. Make the decision.
    Hold him accountable for his actions. You’re on the highway.
    Your children are on the highway. We all share that highway.
    Defense counsel asked to approach the bench, and the court denied his
    request. The prosecutor continued:
    This is a social contract that we agree to. It’s a promise that
    each and everyone of us makes to each other before we get in
    that vehicle because if you can imagine the carnage, the death
    and destruction should we ignore the common rules of the
    road. There’s already enough accidents. The defendant
    violated that principle and that promise to you.
    After closing arguments concluded and the jury left to deliberate, Lewis’
    counsel made a mistrial motion based upon the prosecutor’s statements.
    The court agreed that the statements were inappropriate, although it did
    not think the comments rose to the level of requiring a mistrial. The court
    denied the motion, finding the comments were brief and not repeated
    multiple times.
    ¶27           Lewis contends the court erred in denying the motion for a
    mistrial. We review the superior court’s denial of a motion for mistrial for
    an abuse of discretion. State v. Blackman, 
    201 Ariz. 527
    , 538, ¶ 41 (App. 2002).
    Although the comments were inappropriate, the court did not abuse its
    discretion in denying the motion for mistrial.
    ¶28           Counsel may not make arguments that appeal to the passions
    and fears of the jury, and the prosecutor did just that by describing “the
    carnage, the death and destruction” that can result from violating traffic
    laws, and that the jurors and their children drive on the highway. See State
    v. Mincey, 
    115 Ariz. 472
    , 484 (1977), rev’d on other grounds, 
    437 U.S. 385
     (1978).
    The prosecutor’s comments went beyond the bounds of appropriate closing
    argument, and we strongly disapprove of them. However, we conclude
    this error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.                    Given the
    overwhelming evidence of Lewis’ guilt, the prosecutor’s comments did not
    contribute to the verdict. See Chapman v. California, 
    386 U.S. 18
    , 22-23 (1967);
    State v. Anderson, 
    110 Ariz. 238
    , 241 (1973). Additionally, “a mistrial is a
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    STATE v. LEWIS
    Decision of the Court
    ‘most dramatic’ remedy that ‘should be granted only when it appears that
    that is the only remedy to ensure justice is done.’” Blackman, 
    201 Ariz. at 538, ¶ 41
     (quoting State v. Maximo, 
    170 Ariz. 94
    , 98-99 (App. 1991)). We find
    reversal is not necessary to ensure justice in this case.
    V.     Cumulative Effect
    ¶29            Even if individual instances of prosecutorial misconduct do
    not amount to error, their cumulative effect may demonstrate “that the
    prosecutor intentionally engaged in improper conduct and ‘did so with
    indifference, if not a specific intent, to prejudice the defendant.’” Roque, 213
    Ariz. at 228, ¶ 155 (quoting Hughes, 
    193 Ariz. at 80, ¶ 31
    ). “When assessing
    cumulative error, this Court ‘consider[s] whether persistent and pervasive
    misconduct occurred . . . .’” Hulsey, 243 Ariz. at 394, ¶ 122 (quoting State v.
    Lynch, 
    238 Ariz. 84
    , 100, ¶ 51 (2015)). “We do not, however, reverse
    convictions merely to punish a prosecutor’s misdeeds nor to deter future
    misconduct.” State v. Cornell, 
    179 Ariz. 314
    , 328 (1994).
    ¶30            We conclude Lewis “was convicted based upon the
    overwhelming evidence of [his] guilt, not as a result of prosecutorial
    misconduct.” See Arias, 248 Ariz. at 565, ¶ 76. Again, because of the
    overwhelming evidence of Lewis’ impairment and dangerous driving,
    Lewis has not met his burden of showing that “without the error, a
    reasonable jury could have plausibly and intelligently returned a different
    verdict.” See id. (quoting Escalante, 245 Ariz. at 144, ¶ 31). Lewis has failed
    to show that the actual misconduct in this case “so permeated and infected
    his trial as to render it unfair,” and “thus failed to show that cumulative
    error denied him due process.” Hulsey, 243 Ariz. at 394, ¶ 123.
    CONCLUSION
    ¶31           For the foregoing reasons, we affirm Lewis’ convictions and
    sentences.
    AMY M. WOOD • Clerk of the Court
    FILED: AA
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