Opinion ID: 1846461
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: prejudicial statements made by plaintiffs' counsel

Text: ¶ 48. Coho and Cockrell next argue that opposing counsel carried on a course of conduct throughout the trial, through questioning, comments, and innuendo that was calculated to mislead and inflame the jury and prevent the jury from impartially considering the facts and instructions given by the court. Specific instances cited included questioning about an alleged agreement between Coho and Smith Brothers to falsely place the blame on Smith Brothers so Coho could escape liability; questioning concerning whether Smith Brothers had given each of the employees $100 after the accident and instructed them to tell no one about what happened; and implying that Smith Brothers was represented by Coho's attorney at the trial. McCarthy and the Stroos respond that Coho and Cockrell often failed to timely object at trial. And when they did timely object, the trial court offered to admonish the jury to disregard the remarks. ¶ 49. The first time that a motion for mistrial was made regarding the questioned course of conduct was after the plaintiffs had rested. Coho and Cockrell did not move to strike, nor for a curative instruction. ¶ 50. Our standard of review of the trial court's decision whether to grant a mistrial is abuse of discretion: Case law unequivocally holds that the trial judge is in the best position for determining the prejudicial effect of an objectionable remark. The judge is provided considerable discretion to determine whether the remark is so prejudicial that a mistrial should be declared. Where serious and irreparable damage has not resulted, the judge should admonish the jury then and there to disregard the impropriety. Roundtree v. State, 568 So.2d 1173, 1177-78 (Miss.1990)(internal citations omitted). Further, the aggrieved party must make a timely objection. In Meena v. Wilburn, 603 So.2d 866 (Miss.1992), this Court stated: Of utmost importance, a judge can only make a determination of prejudice if the defendant makes a timely objection and motion for mistrial .... [t]imeliness means the objection and motion must be made contemporaneously with the alleged improper utterance. This is well-known as the contemporaneous objection rule. ... Contemporaneousness is critical because it allows the judge to avert a mistrial, if possible, by admonishing the jury to disregard the utterance. Id. at 874. ¶ 51. In his denial of Coho and Cockrell's motion for JNOV or new trial, the trial judge found there were no errors, which were the subject of objections and motions for mistrial, that affected the outcome of the case in any material way or affected the defendants' right to a fair trial. After review of the alleged infractions, keeping in mind our standard or review, we conclude that any prejudice was minimal and that the trial judge did not abuse his discretion by denying a mistrial. This issue is without merit.