Why is my HTML aside block adding a superfluous ending paragraph break?

I have this markup:

CSS

aside {
    color: cornsilk;
    font-family: 'Bookman Old School', Candara, Calibri, sans-serif;
}

HTML

<aside style="margin:4px;padding:4px;border:1px solid forestgreen;">
    Some criticize <cite>Huckleberry Finn</cite> because it uses "the N word." While it <em>is</em> an ugly word, that is the way many people spoke in the time and place represented by this novel.

<p>Should it be censored out, or replaced with another word?</p>

<p><cite>Huckleberry Finn</cite> has been criticized from the "git-go" for various reasons (and in fact, Twain rather rejoiced at this than fretted, knowing that calls for his book to be banned would actually draw more attention to it and increase sales).</p>

    <p>Early on, some readers and reviewers were shocked, not by the novel's use of "the N word" (which they may not have considered objectionable or perhaps not even have really noticed, due to its ubiquitous usage throughout the country) but rather for its "low" subject matter and earthy humor, which was considered too crude and rough for "polite society" and sometimes for the very reason that Jim is portrayed sympathetically - as a real person with feelings and thoughts, and not as a minstrel show caricature.</p></aside>

As you can see here (or, if you're an HTML/CSS guru, perhaps previsualize), there is a superfluous line or paragrpah break at the end of the section of HTML shown above. The other "asides"/annotations do not exhibit that behavior.

What need I do to evict the trailing break?