Opinion ID: 883120
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: issues

Text: Did the District Court abuse its discretion when it allowed a school counselor to testify regarding a complaint made by one of the victims? Henrich moved for a mistrial based on the admission of hearsay evidence. We will affirm a district court's denial of a motion for mistrial unless there is clear and convincing proof that the district court erred in its ruling. Greytak, 865 P.2d at 1098. Neil Bricco, a Belgrade school counselor, testified about a meeting he had with A.H. on February 28, 1992. At this meeting, A.H. told Bricco about the sexual and physical abuse, including abuse of M.H. The court decided to allow Bricco to testify about what A.H. told him regarding her situation. However, Bricco began to testify that A.H. told him that Henrich sexually abused M.H. Henrich objected to this testimony and requested a mistrial. The court ordered that the testimony of Bricco regarding the abuse of M.H. be stricken, admonished the jury to ignore it, and denied Henrich's motion for a mistrial. The district court is in the best position to determine the jurors' reaction to inadmissible evidence and to decide whether a mistrial is necessary. State v. Seaman (1989), 236 Mont. 466, 475-76, 771 P.2d 950, 956. Here, the court properly ordered the testimony stricken and admonished the jury. In addition, A.H. testified personally that she told Bricco about M.H.'s abuse. Henrich has failed to establish clear and convincing proof that the District Court erred when it denied his motion for a mistrial, or that Bricco's testimony was more harmful than A.H.'s testimony to the same facts in person. Henrich challenges other aspects of Bricco's testimony. The prosecutor asked Bricco [h]ow open are children who have been sexually abused to talking about that with a counselor. Henrich objected, stating that Bricco was not qualified to render an opinion on this issue. The court overruled the objection and Bricco responded that the abuse is usually kept within the family. Henrich now argues that Bricco lacked personal knowledge to answer this question, or was not an expert qualified to render an opinion on this issue, and Bricco's testimony improperly bolstered A.H.'s testimony. We do not decide whether Bricco's testimony is relevant evidence, but only address the issue raised by Henrich's objection, i.e., whether Bricco was qualified or had personal knowledge. Rule 602, M.R.Evid., states: A witness may not testify as to a matter unless evidence is introduced sufficient to support a finding that the witness has personal knowledge of the matter. Evidence to prove personal knowledge may, but need not, consist of the witness' own testimony. This rule is subject to the provisions of Rule 703, relating to opinion testimony by expert witnesses. Bricco testified that he was a school counselor for seven years. He did not specialize in counseling sexually abused children, but did encounter them while providing general counseling. He stated that he saw hundreds of children in the two years he counseled at Belgrade. Of these children, Bricco stated that about ten percent were sexually abused. He discussed sexual abuse with numerous children. How open children were about sexual abuse was, therefore, a matter of his personal counseling experience. We conclude that Bricco was merely stating a personal observation, and that the District Court did not err when it admitted his testimony.