Opinion ID: 2040312
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: comments by counsel and judge

Text: An attorney is an officer of the Court. It is his duty to present evidence on behalf of his client, to make such objections as he deems proper, and to argue fully his client's cause. However, the comments, statements, arguments, or other remarks of an attorney, are not to be considered as evidence in this case. If counsel or I make any remarks concerning the evidence which you find are not warranted by the evidence, you should wholly disregard them and rely upon your own recollection or observation. If counsel make any remarks as to the law which are not warranted by these instructions, you should wholly disregard such remarks. The jury was also instructed that [w]hat is said in closing argument is not evidence. Having considered the nature of counsel's statement to the jury, its probable effect on the jury in the context of the entire trial, and the court's instructions to the jury, we conclude that the trial court's denial of the motion for a mistrial and subsequent denial of a new trial on these same grounds did not constitute an abuse of discretion. Kresel, 231 N.W.2d at 790.