Opinion ID: 1058661
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Testimony of Pavel Teleguz

Text: During the investigation of Sipe's murder, Teleguz's brother, Pavel Teleguz (Pavel), talked with Sergeant Chris Rush of the Harrisonburg Police Department. Sergeant Rush made notes of this interview. At trial, the Commonwealth told the trial court it expected Pavel to be an adverse witness and wanted to question him about statements made in the interview with Sergeant Rush. The Commonwealth told the trial court that if Pavel did not respond as he did in his interview with Sergeant Rush, it intended to question him regarding his inconsistent statements. Pavel testified that he did not recall the substance of his conversation with Sergeant Rush. When he was shown Sergeant Rush's notes, Pavel stated he did not make the statements recorded in the notes. At the Commonwealth's request, the trial court declared Pavel a hostile witness. Teleguz objected, stating, The fact that the witness doesn't remember does not in fact make him hostile. The trial court overruled Teleguz's objection. The Commonwealth proceeded to ask Pavel if he heard his brother, the defendant, make certain statements, including a statement about child support. Pavel denied hearing his brother make the statements. Teleguz declined to cross-examine Pavel. The Commonwealth then sought to elicit testimony from Sergeant Rush about the statements which Pavel denied making. The trial court ruled, however, that this would deny Teleguz the right to confront and cross-examine regarding out of court statements. The Commonwealth did not call Sergeant Rush as a witness. Before Pavel left the courtroom, the Commonwealth stated: Judge, I would ask that Sgt. Rush come back in and take Mr. Paul Teleguz into custody for perjury. Teleguz moved for a mistrial. The trial court denied Teleguz's motion, stating that the Commonwealth's comment was made out of the hearing of the jury. When Teleguz again raised the issue and asked that the jury be polled to determine if they heard the comment, the trial court denied Teleguz's request and renewed motion for a mistrial, but specifically cautioned the jury that if they had heard any comment following Pavel's release from the witness stand, it was to be disregarded.
Teleguz argues that the trial court erred when it allowed the Commonwealth to treat Pavel as a hostile witness. According to Teleguz, Pavel was not a party to the proceeding and no evidence was presented showing that he had any personal or adverse interest in the proceeding. With respect to the right to attack the testimony of an adverse witness, Code § 8.01-401(A) states, [a] party called to testify for another, having an adverse interest, may be examined by such other party according to the rules applicable to cross-examination. This rule applies to any person who has an adverse interest, even if that person is not a party to the litigation. Hegwood v. Virginia Natural Gas, Inc., 256 Va. 362, 368, 505 S.E.2d 372, 376 (1998) (citing Butler, 186 Va. at 431-32, 43 S.E.2d at 4). In addition, a person may be considered a hostile witness if his testimony surprises the party who called the person to testify at trial. See Butler, 186 Va. at 434, 43 S.E.2d at 5. The rules of cross-examination apply to the examination of a witness who has been deemed hostile or who has an adverse interest. Code § 8.01-401(A); Butler, 186 Va. at 435, 43 S.E.2d at 6. We review a trial court's ruling that a witness is a hostile witness under an abuse of discretion standard. Id. The trial court determines whether a witness is hostile or adverse because the trial court sees and hears the witness on the stand, observes his demeanor, and hence is in a much better position to determine whether he is in fact adverse or hostile than is an appellate court which must rely on the printed record. Virginia Electric & Power Co. v. Hall, 184 Va. 102, 105, 34 S.E.2d 382, 383 (1945). We find no abuse of discretion by the trial court in declaring Pavel a hostile witness because Pavel, as Teleguz's brother, was a person with an interest adverse to the prosecution. Butler, 186 Va. at 434, 43 S.E.2d at 5 (witness closely connected by blood to accused can have adverse interest).
Teleguz argues that the trial court erred when it denied his motion for a mistrial based on the Commonwealth's request that Pavel be taken into custody for perjury. Teleguz claims that the statement was heard by the jury and that the trial court's instruction to the jury to disregard what it may have heard was insufficient to overcome the prejudice created by the comment. We find no error by the trial court in its denial of Teleguz's mistrial motion. Regardless of whether the jurors heard the Commonwealth's Attorney's comment, jurors are presumed to follow the instructions provided by the trial court. Muhammad, 269 Va. at 524, 619 S.E.2d at 58 (citing Green v. Young, 264 Va. 604, 611, 571 S.E.2d 135, 139 (2002)). Nothing in the record suggests that the jurors acted otherwise. Accordingly, we reject this assignment of error.