Opinion ID: 1896204
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Credibility Comments

Text: The next issue concerns comments made by one of the detectives in this case regarding Chamberlain's credibility. During the direct examination of Detective Fraser, the State played a tape of Chamberlain's police interview in which Chamberlain could be heard crying. Asked by the State for his opinion on Chamberlain's crying, Detective Fraser indicated that he did not think it was genuine. Chamberlain objected and moved for a mistrial. The trial court denied the motion for mistrial, but sustained the objection and instructed the jury to disregard the conclusion of the officer as to his observation. Chamberlain argues that the instruction to disregard was insufficient to ameliorate the prejudice caused by the improper opinion testimony. A ruling on a motion for a mistrial is within the sound discretion of the trial court and should be granted only when necessary to ensure that the defendant receives a fair trial. See Rivera v. State, 859 So.2d 495, 512 (Fla.2003). The use of a harmless error analysis under State v. DiGuilio, 491 So.2d 1129 (Fla.1986), is not necessary where the trial court recognized the error, sustained the objection and gave a curative instruction. Instead, the correct appellate standard of review is abuse of discretion. Id. (quoting Smithers v. State, 826 So.2d 916, 930 (Fla.2002)) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Although there [is no] legal principle more firmly established in our system of jurisprudence than that which makes the jury the sole arbiter of the credibility of the witnesses, Barnes v. State, 93 So.2d 863, 864 (Fla.1957), we are not persuaded by Chamberlain's argument that the instruction to disregard was insufficient in this case. First, defense counsel cut off Detective Fraser's statement with an objection, so that the comments regarding Chamberlain's credibility heard by the jury were limited. [7] Second, the brief comments were not repeated by other witnesses or in closing argument. Under these circumstances, the trial court's actions of sustaining the objection and giving the instruction to disregard were sufficient. No abuse of discretion has been demonstrated and therefore Chamberlain is not entitled to relief.