Case Title: Ward v. State

Citation: 438 N.E.2d 966

Docket Number: 681S162

State: indiana

Court: Indiana Supreme Court

Date: 1982-08-18T00:00:00Z

Document:
438 N.E.2d 966 (1982)
Willie WARD, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Indiana, Appellee.
No. 681S162.

Supreme Court of Indiana.
August 18, 1982.
John J. Halcarz, Hammond, for appellant.
Linley E. Pearson, Atty. Gen., Palmer K. Ward, Deputy Atty. Gen., Indianapolis, for appellee.
GIVAN, Chief Justice.
Appellant was convicted by a jury of First Degree Murder and Murder in the Perpetration of Rape. The trial court properly merged the two convictions and sentenced appellant to a term of life imprisonment.
The record discloses the body of the victim was discovered in a playground. The decedent was last seen entering the rear seat of her automobile after having been approached by three men. Earl Jefferson testified appellant and Ronnie Abrams asked him if he would like to ride around in the car later identified as the victim's. Jefferson joined the two, stopping to buy wine. After they stopped the car near a park, appellant and Abrams exited the car, opened the trunk and pulled the victim from it. While Abrams stood by with a gun, appellant shoved the woman to the ground, unbuckled his trousers and got on *967 top of her. When he stood up, Abrams pulled his pants down and got on top of the victim as appellant held the gun. Appellant extended his arm and Jefferson heard a shot. Abrams took the gun from appellant and fired three or four gunshots. The victim suffered three gunshots to the head.
Appellant claims the trial court erred in denying his motion for mistrial and objection to the State's remarks in closing argument. The allegedly prejudicial remarks and subsequent exchange are quoted from the record:
When the issue of prosecutorial misconduct in making final argument to the jury is raised, this Court will consider whether the misconduct, under all the circumstances, placed the defendant in a position of grave peril. Whether the misconduct results in subjecting the defendant to grave peril is determined by the probable persuasive effect of the misconduct on the jury's decision. Maldonado v. State, (1976) 265 Ind. 492, 355 N.E.2d 843. See also, Riley v. State, (1981) Ind., 427 N.E.2d 1074; Stanley v. State, (1980) Ind., 401 N.E.2d 689. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion for mistrial.
The granting of a mistrial is within the sound discretion of the trial court. The ruling will not be disturbed absent a showing of an abuse of that discretion. Morris v. State, (1980) Ind., 398 N.E.2d 1284. Alternatively, appellant moved for an admonition to disregard the remark. The court admonished the jury to disregard the comment. Generally, an admonition is deemed to cure an alleged error. Downs v. State, (1977) 267 Ind. 342, 369 N.E.2d 1079, cert. denied, 439 U.S. 849, 99 S. Ct. 151, 58 L. Ed. 2d 151.
Appellant claims the trial court erred in permitting the prosecutor to use a transcript of a previous hearing to refresh a witness's recollection without a proper foundation being laid. Appellant correctly states that one may not impeach his own witness without first demonstrating the witness's hostility. Love v. State, (1977) 266 Ind. 577, 365 N.E.2d 771. Appellant contends an adequate foundation was not established because the State impeached its own witness without attempting to have the witness declared hostile.
In King v. State, (1973) 260 Ind. 422, 425, 296 N.E.2d 113, 115, this Court stated:
According to the record in the case at bar, the State asked its witness, Jefferson, if he recalled the kind of car in which appellant and Abrams were riding. Jefferson answered it was green and white. The State then asked if Jefferson remembered the make of the car. When he could not remember, the prosecutor directed Jefferson's attention to his testimony given at Abram's trial. He asked if Jefferson recalled the question, "what kind of car was it?" and his response, "a green and white charger." Jefferson replied he remembered both the question and response. Defense counsel objected on the ground that no foundation had been laid for the introduction of the transcript. The State did not move to introduce the transcript into evidence. In ruling on the objection, the trial court noted the transcript could be used to refresh the memory of the witness. There was no error.
Appellant claims the trial court erred in overruling his objection to an instruction on being an accessory. Appellant argues the evidence was insufficient to warrant such an instruction because the State's evidence was that he raped the victim. In the co-defendant's appeal, Abrams v. State, (1980) Ind., 403 N.E.2d 345, 347, this Court addressed the identical issue stating:
The trial court is in all things affirmed.
All Justices concur.