Opinion ID: 1287078
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: motion for new trial; cumulative error

Text: Copeland argues that the trial court abused its discretion by refusing to grant his motion for a new trial under CrR 7.6. He alleged several errors were grounds for a new trial, including admission of the DNA evidence, failure to suppress DNA evidence in light of destruction of the remaining extracted DNA, failure to suppress biological sample evidence due to denial of CrR 3.1 right to counsel, refusal to permit his calling of his proposed surrebuttal witness, and prosecutorial misconduct in cross-examination of Siemering. The grant or denial of a motion for a new trial is within the sound discretion of the trial court and will be reversed only for abuse of that discretion. State v. Balisok, 123 Wash.2d 114, 117, 866 P.2d 631 (1994). Most of the claimed errors are not errors at all, as we have explained above, and such errors as occurred do not warrant a new trial. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion for a new trial. Copeland also argues that cumulative error denied him his right to a fair trial. See State v. Coe, 101 Wash.2d 772, 789, 684 P.2d 668 (1984). A new trial is not justified in this case on the basis of cumulative error.