Opinion ID: 2112726
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Testimony of Officer Leboeuf

Text: The defendant's third argument on appeal is that his constitutional right to due process was violated when the trial justice refused to pass this case and declare a mistrial after the state attempted to elicit certain testimony from Officer Leboeuf. We disagree with this contention; it is our opinion that the trial justice did not abuse his discretion in deciding not to declare a mistrial. The state's redirect examination of Officer Leboeuf included the following: Q. What did you say to Mr. Bryant? A. That he was under arrest. Q. Prior to that, you said  you testified  strike that. You testified you spoke to Lissette and you spoke to Mr. Bryant. Did you ask him what occurred? Ms. McElroy: Objection. The Court: Overruled. The answer is `yes' or `no.' A. I believe, for the most part, I spoke [to] Lissette most of the time. The most that I recall speaking was trying to  attempting to keep them both separated and calmed down at this point. Q. Now, at any point in time, did Mr. Bryant come to you and give you a statement? Ms. McElroy: Objection. I have a motion. The Court: Sustained. Ms. McElroy: I'd like to be heard at the side bar, Judge. At the sidebar conference, defense counsel moved for a mistrial, asserting that the state, by posing this question to Officer Leboeuf, had violated the defendant's constitutional rights under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The trial justice refused to declare a mistrial, but instead immediately gave the jury a well-worded curative instruction, [8] which made it clear that the state's question was inappropriate and that the defendant had a right not to make any statement. The giving of this curative instruction, coupled with the fact that defense counsel's objection to the question was sustained before any answer was given, sufficed to eliminate any prejudice that may have arisen from the state's question. Accordingly, the trial justice did not abuse his discretion in refusing to pass the case and declare a mistrial.