Opinion ID: 2014176
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Motion in Limine Violations

Text: Defendant next argues that he was denied a fair trial because the prosecutor deliberately violated two in limine orders by introducing evidence of defendant's prior felony convictions and alleged drug activities. Prior to trial, defendant moved to preclude evidence of defendant's prior convictions in Colorado. The trial court ruled that, for impeachment purposes, the State was allowed to introduce evidence that defendant has prior felony convictions, but that the State was not allowed to introduce evidence indicating the nature of the felonies. [1] During the State's redirect examination of Tammy Brown, the hotel housekeeper who had a relationship with defendant, the State inquired about defendant's prior criminal conduct: Q. You say you thought he was joking when he said if he, if he told you anything that you knew he would kill you? A. Well, I mean, I was in love with him. So, you know, I didn't take anything he said seriously. You know how some people may say that they have a past, you know, and I have heard people say it before. I didn't think of it as, you know, anything seriously. Q. Well, he told you, what did he tell you about his past? A. He didn't tell me too much about his past. I don't remember conversation, I don't remember too much. I just remember what was in my heart, what I felt about him. That's all I remember. Q. Did you tell the police in '94, Lamont told me he was out over an assault charge, where a girl was shot? Defense counsel objected. Before the trial court could rule, Brown answered, I don't remember. The trial court sustained the objection and admonished the jury to disregard the last question and answer. At the close of the State's case-in-chief, defendant moved for a mistrial based on the State's question to Brown regarding the assault charge. Defendant maintains that the trial court erred in subsequently denying his motion for a mistrial. A trial court has broad discretion to determine the propriety of declaring a mistrial. People v. Redd, 135 Ill.2d 252, 323, 142 Ill.Dec. 802, 553 N.E.2d 316 (1990); People v. Jones, 123 Ill.2d 387, 410, 123 Ill.Dec. 944, 528 N.E.2d 648 (1988). A mistrial should generally be declared only as the result of some occurrence at trial of such character and magnitude that the party seeking it is deprived of his right to a fair trial. Redd, 135 Ill.2d at 323, 142 Ill.Dec. 802, 553 N.E.2d 316. Accordingly, the violation of a motion in limine will constitute a ground for mistrial only where the violation deprived the defendant of a fair trial. The State's question regarding defendant's assault charge, where a girl was shot violated the trial court's in limine order. We do not find, however, that defendant was deprived of a fair trial. Generally, if a timely objection is made at trial to improper interrogation, the court can, by sustaining the objection or instructing the jury to disregard the question and answer, usually correct the error. People v. Carlson, 79 Ill.2d 564, 577, 38 Ill.Dec. 809, 404 N.E.2d 233 (1980). Although situations exist where the improper question is so damaging that a trial court cannot cure the prejudicial effect (see Carlson, 79 Ill.2d at 577, 38 Ill.Dec. 809, 404 N.E.2d 233), this is not such a situation. The State asked a single question regarding defendant's prior conviction which violated the in limine order. The trial court, however, immediately sustained defendant's objection and admonished the jury to disregard the question and answer. Brown's answer, which the jury heard before the objection could be sustained, indicated only that she did not recall telling police in 1994 about a prior assault. The trial court also instructed the jury at the end of the trial to disregard questions to which objections were sustained. Under these circumstances, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendant's motion for a mistrial. Defendant argues that the State also violated the trial court's in limine order barring the introduction of evidence concerning defendant's alleged drug-related activities. During the State's redirect examination of Damie Brown, defendant's cousin, the State questioned Brown about an October 3, 1994, telephone call she received from defendant in which defendant told Brown that his car, the Merkur, was missing: Q. You are saying that he, Lamont, wasn't upset when he called you in the morning about the missing car? A. No. Q. Did he tell you what was in the car? A. Yes. Q. What was in the car? A. Some marijuana. Defendant objected. The trial court sustained the objection and, following a side-bar conference, the trial court instructed the jury to disregard the witness' last statement. Defendant argued in his post-trial motion for a new trial that Brown's marijuana testimony violated the court's in limine order and that the court's admonishment to the jury could not cure the prejudice. During argument on defendant's motion, the State maintained, as it does before this court, that the prosecutor expected Brown to testify that defendant had a 9-millimeter gun in the car, and that Brown gave an unexpected response. The trial court subsequently denied defendant's post-trial motion for a new trial. The denial of a motion for a new trial will not be disturbed on review in the absence of a showing that the trial court abused its discretion. See People v. Pecoraro, 144 Ill.2d 1, 18, 161 Ill.Dec. 296, 578 N.E.2d 942 (1991); People v. Miller, 79 Ill.2d 454, 464, 38 Ill.Dec. 775, 404 N.E.2d 199 (1980). We find no abuse of discretion here. The trial court apparently accepted the State's explanation that Brown's response was unexpected and unintended, and defendant points to nothing in the record to suggest otherwise. Any error arising out of Brown's unexpected testimony was cured when the trial court sustained defendant's objection and instructed the jury to disregard the testimony. Defendant does, however, cite to testimony, elicited by the State, indicating that defendant was unemployed and that he used a pager. According to defendant, the State was attempting to establish, through such testimony, as well as Brown's testimony, that defendant was employed as a drug dealer. Defendant, however, never objected to the State's inquiries regarding his employment or use of a pager. Defendant has thus waived review of these issues on appeal. See Enoch, 122 Ill.2d at 186, 119 Ill.Dec. 265, 522 N.E.2d 1124.