Prosecutor's argument -- you can't believe the defedant unless you conclude the police were lying -- came close to mis-stating the burden of proof, but was harmless error.

Ninth Circuit Blog is disappointed by the ruling. Key quote from the decision:

“[P]rosecutors have been admonished time and again to avoid statements to the effect that, if the defendant is innocent, government agents must be lying.” Id. at *3 (quotations and citation omitted). “Here, the prosecutor’s argument came very close to altering the burden of proof . . . [T]he prsoecutor’s argument that either the [officer] or Ruiz must be lying could well be construed as arguing an inference unsupported by the evidence, and thereby altering the burden of proof.” Id. at *4. “We need not decide the issue . . . because we conclude that, even if the prosecutor committed error, the error was harmless . . . “In light of the strength of the evidence, the prosecutor’s evidence did not materially affect the fairness of Ruiz’s trial.” Id. at *5.