California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Perez, B296242 (Cal. App. 2021):
would not have gathered, from the cited statements, that mere intent to kill was the equivalent of premeditation and deliberation. We " ' "do not lightly infer" that the jury drew the most damaging rather than the least damaging meaning from the prosecutor's statements.' [Citation.]' " (People v. Covarrubias, supra, 1 Cal.5th at p. 894.) Because the argument was not objectionable, defense counsels' performance was not objectively unreasonable. "Failure to raise a meritless objection is not ineffective assistance of counsel." (People v. Bradley (2012) 208 Cal.App.4th 64, 90.)
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