Opinion ID: 886521
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The District Court's refusal to grant a mistrial

Text: ¶ 72 Finally, we consider whether the District Court erred in refusing to grant a mistrial after a witness repeatedly referred to alleged prior bad acts by Weldele. We review the grant or denial of a motion for mistrial for an abuse of discretion. The test for abuse of discretion is whether the trial court acted arbitrarily without employment of conscientious judgment or exceeded the bounds of reason resulting in substantial injustice. Kiely Const., L.L.C. v. City of Red Lodge, 2002 MT 241, 312 Mont. 52, 57 P.3d 836. ¶ 73 In the case sub judice, the District Court granted a pretrial motion in limine prohibiting any reference to prior bad acts allegedly committed by Weldele. Sheridan had been advised of this testimonial restriction. Nonetheless, on three different occasions during her testimony she alluded to a previous, unreported domestic altercation between her and Weldele. While describing Weldele's assault on J.B., Sheridan stated, all my memories come back of what he did to me back in October. Weldele's attorney objected and Sheridan was cautioned at that time by her attorney to confine her testimony to the events of February 14. Moments later she stated, I cried and I said this is the last time it is going to happen and I called the cops. Shortly thereafter, when testifying to the details of the investigating officer's evidence collection in her kitchen, she testified, because me and my daughter were sitting there going oh God he did it again. Weldele's attorney again objected and requested a chamber conference. ¶ 74 In chambers, Weldele moved for a mistrial. The court denied the request but offered to issue a cautionary jury instruction drafted by Weldele's attorneys. The instruction was drafted and the court delivered it upon returning to the courtroom. The court told the jury that Weldele was to be tried solely on the allegations relating to February 14, 2000, that there had been no prior allegation of domestic abuse between the parties, and that the jury was to disregard any additional accusations made by Sheridan. Weldele claims that this instruction was insufficient and that, as a result of Sheridan's testimony, he was denied a fair and impartial trial. ¶ 75 A district court's determination of whether to grant a motion for a mistrial must be based on whether the defendant has been denied a fair and impartial trial. State v. Soraich, 1999 MT 87, ¶ 17, 294 Mont. 175, ¶ 17, 979 P.2d 206, ¶ 17 (citation omitted). We declared in State v. Partin (1997), 287 Mont. 12, 18, 951 P.2d 1002, 1005-06, that where there is a reasonable possibility that inadmissible evidence might have contributed to the conviction, a mistrial is appropriate. In determining whether a prohibited statement contributed to a conviction, we consider the strength of the evidence against the defendant, the prejudicial effect of the testimony, and whether a cautionary jury instruction could cure any prejudice. State v. Scarborough, 2000 MT 301, ¶ 81, 302 Mont. 350, ¶ 81, 14 P.3d 1202, ¶ 81 ( citing Partin, 287 Mont. at 18, 951 P.2d at 1005-06). ¶ 76 In the case at bar, while Sheridan's statements imply that a previous altercation occurred between Weldele and Sheridan, they are not so prejudicial, in light of the verdict, the evidence, and the cautionary instruction, as to warrant a mistrial. Significantly, the jury considered an assault charge by Weldele against Sheridan, but it found him not guilty of that charge. Moreover, there was sufficient evidence presented at trial to find Weldele guilty of assaulting J.B. Lastly, the instruction to the jury to disregard the inappropriate references because no prior allegations of domestic abuse between these two parties existed was sufficient in these circumstances. We therefore conclude the District Court did not abuse its discretion when it denied Weldele's motion for a mistrial.