Opinion ID: 2363278
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Davis ' Closing Argument

Text: During the course of the trial Mr. John Craig testified on behalf of Baptist Temple relating to the grade of the area in the vicinity of the Graeff home. At the scene there was a 2% sloping grade. During the argument of counsel for Baptist Temple counsel stated that it is apparent that the lights were on the bus and then said: Now I believe that the jury will sincerely recognize that this man [Huntsman] had had his foot on the brake in stopping. He had to do that and certainly with the slope of that street being what it was, . . . he would have continued to have his foot on the brake at the time he says Mr. Davis went around the vehicle. Counsel for Davis then argued that they could have taken a bus out there and if there was enough grade that it could have rolled, they'd have had it out there. They'd have a man here telling you all about it. The trial court referred to this argument as a missing witness argument, found that it was not subject to the same criticism as a missing witness argument but was probably improper; and while the arguments made might not be reversible error, that taken as a whole the church had grounds to claim prejudice. Under the circumstances we believe that the argument by Davis' counsel was not error. The context in which this issue arises is in reality not a comment on the failure of Baptist Temple to produce evidence favorable to it or a comment on the failure to produce a missing witness who is equally available. Rather the comment was one in reply to refute the comment by counsel for the Temple relating to the slope of the grade so as to require Huntsman to keep his foot on the brake. The comment was made to refute the statement that the foot was on the brake and the implication that lights were on. The comment was not prejudicial. The trial court itself believed that no reversible error in this regard took place but thought when taken as a whole the church had grounds to claim prejudice. The comment was a retaliatory argument. Even if this argument could be considered as one on the failure of a party to produce evidence or a witness, the comment was within the principles relating to the non-production of evidence or a witness. The failure of a party to produce or suppress evidence which is peculiarly within his knowledge or under his control and which he would naturally be expected to produce if favorable to him gives rise to a legitimate inference that its production would have resulted unfavorably to him and entitles counsel for the opposing party to comment on a failure to produce evidence. White v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 218 S.W.2d 795, 801 (Mo.App.1949); Cooper v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 94 S.W.2d 1070, 1072 (Mo.App. 1936). The principle is also applicable to the failure to call a witness who is not equally available to each party. But a lack of availability depends upon a relationship between a party and a witness who would reasonably make the witness favor one party against the other. Hawkins v. Allen Cab Company, 457 S.W.2d 940, 942 (Mo.App. 1970). For a witness to be available to one party there must have been a community of interest between that party and the witness, or the party must have had so superior an opportunity for knowledge as in ordinary experience would have made it reasonably probable that the witness would have been called to testify except for the fact that his testimony would have been damaging. Cooper, 94 S.W.2d at 1073. [23] The word available within this rule does not mean merely available for service of process but depends on the party's superior means of knowledge of the existence and identity of the witness, the nature of testimony that the witness would be expected to give and any relation to the party so as to make it natural that he will be expected to testify in favor of one. Adam Hat Stores v. Kansas City, 307 S.W.2d 36 (Mo. App.1957), trfd. 316 S.W.2d 594 (Mo. banc 1958). Here, the trial court recognized that since the bus belonged to the Temple, Davis did not have equal access to it. A witness to determine whether the bus would roll would reasonably favor the Temple. Cf. Caffey v. St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company, 292 S.W.2d 611 (Mo.App.1956). We are informed in the briefs that Mr. Craig was not divulged as a witness, despite interrogatories, until the beginning of the trial. Under the circumstances, there was little time then for Davis or the plaintiff to test the slope of the street to determine if the bus would roll. The argument did not materially affect the merits of the action. There was no evidence that the slope was of such a magnitude that a bus would or would not roll. There was no detailed evidence concerning mechanisms which would have kept the bus from rolling and no evidence that Huntsman left his foot on the brake to keep the bus from rolling. In any event we believe that under these circumstances the argument was not error, or if error was not prejudicial either singly or in combination with other arguments. In determining whether an argument of counsel referring to a failure to produce certain evidence is prejudicial, the courts hold that a liberal attitude is permitted in their deductions from the evidence. City of Kennett v. Katz Const. Co., 273 Mo. 279, 202 S.W. 558, 562 (Mo.1918).