Opinion ID: 1788754
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: patrolman donald brown

Text: Brown was not an expert. He testified he looked at the accident scene, but his sole testimony on direct examination as to what he actually saw at the scene consisted of the following: When I got to the scene of the accident, I noticed the female, the mother, sitting on the shoulder of the road with several people around her, and one was holding the baby at the time, when I got there, and I noticed the vehicle was next to the pond, which was on the, I guess, north side of the highway. No measurements, no description of the physical scene were given. Then the following final question and answer: Q. During the course of the time you were there investigating this accident, Patrolman Brown, did you find any evidence, observe any evidence, of improper driving on the part of Linda Jackson? Over objection he answered: No. I did not. (Vol. XVIII, 624). This was highly improper because (1) Brown was no expert; (2) no factual predicate had been laid for him to express any opinion; and (3) it was a generalized question as to whether he had found any evidence of improper driving. [4] Roberson v. State, 569 So.2d 691 (Miss. 1990); Rose v. State, 556 So.2d 728, 733 (Miss. 1990); Hughes v. Tupelo Oil Co., Inc .; Rucker v. Hopkins, 499 So.2d 766 (Miss. 1986); Swaggart v. Haney, 363 So.2d 251, 255 (Miss. 1978); Shivel v. Ferguson, 259 So.2d 123, 126 (Miss. 1972); Parmes v. Illinois Central Gulf Railroad . Plaintiffs' counsel did not stop there. On cross-examination of Chiddester, General Motors expert, counsel asked: Q. [D]id you take into consideration in formulating your opinion, that the police officer, Officer Brown, Investigator Patrolman Brown, who investigated the accident, was of the opinion there was no improper driving on the part of Linda Jackson? (Emphasis added.) A. I believe he did say that. Q. Did you take that into consideration in reaching your opinion? A. I did not  I always take comments of that type into consideration, particularly early in an investigation, but I do my own investigation to determine what happened in an accident. Plaintiffs' counsel were not through. Here is closing argument: Then he [Brown] went on to say, During the course of this time, did you find any evidence of any improper driving by Linda Jackson? No. (Emphasis added.) Thus, the clear error in admitting this opinion was twice exacerbated by plaintiffs' counsel.