Opinion ID: 2057473
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Propriety of Final Argument

Text: Finally, the defendant contends that comments made by the prosecutor during closing arguments, both at the guilt phase and the habitual offender phase, amounted to prosecutorial misconduct warranting a reversal for failure of the trial court to grant his motion for mistrial. The granting of a mistrial lies within the sound discretion of the trial judge. His determinations will be reversed only where an abuse of that discretion can be established. If the jury is admonished by the trial court to disregard what has occurred at trial or if reasonable curative measures are taken, no reversible error will ordinarily be found. Holland v. State (1983), Ind., 454 N.E.2d 409; Ramos v. State (1982), Ind., 433 N.E.2d 757. The defendant objected to certain prosecutorial remarks during closing arguments, which objections were promptly sustained by the trial court and the jury admonished to disregard. The defendant on both occasions moved for mistrial, which was denied by the trial court. An admonition is ordinarily presumed to cure the error, if in fact any occurred. Page v. State (1980), 274 Ind. 264, 410 N.E.2d 1304. The questioned remarks occurred in the final arguments by the State in the initial guilt phase and in the habitual offender phase of the trial, and referred to the probability of other forgeries by the defendant. In both instances, the trial court promptly sustained a defense objection and provided an immediate, thorough, and effective admonition to the jury, which we find was sufficient to prevent any resulting harm.