Opinion ID: 2313703
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Counsel's remarks during closing

Text: CCHS next argues that the trial judge abused his discretion by failing to correct Dr. Connor's counsel's comments about the truth during closing arguments. The issue was preserved through CCHS's motion for a new trial. We review a trial court's refusal to grant a new trial based on improper comment of counsel for abuse of discretion. [11] To establish abuse of discretion the appellants must show that the improper comment was `significantly prejudicial so as to deny them a fair trial.' [12] CCHS argues that Dr. Connor's counsel's closing comments were improper and focuses on three statements (italicized): Now, I want to talk about Dr. Cogen. I'm going to say a few things about Dr. Cogen, that quite frankly, aren't complimentary. It's not something that I, who represents doctors regularly, enjoy doing. It's not something, quite frankly, that my client enjoys having me do. But he was here yesterday and what he basically did, although he didn't come out and say it, he told you you can't believe Dr. Connor. Now, the role of the jury is credibility. I don't dispute everything Mr. Zappa says. But he did say one thing which I absolutely agree with. I even wrote it down. Credibility should not be for any witness to tell you who was telling the truth. No witness should tell you who was telling you the truth. He's right. That's your role. That is your role your role and your role alone. Now, his presentation was shrouded in the concept, well, he's a record reviewer and, therefore, he's answeringgiving you expert opinions on how to do records. Okay, we'll get to that. Incidentally, the fact that the hospital stood by Nurse Godek does not bother us. She is its employee, and they're standing by their employee. And even though we disagree, even though we think they're wrong, even though we think she's wrong, we can understand that. But Dr. Cogen's testimony was, in a word, over the top, and it was uncalled for. And it can't be believed, and there's no foundation, anyway. ... Nurse Sammak said, if she had seen that CT now, it was a call to arms. How interesting it is that Dr. Cogen won't even accept the testimony of the people who he's been hired to defend. Nurse Godek flatly said, If I had been told `CT now,' that's all I need to know. I'd have done something. We don't thinkwe think she was told and didn't. That's your choice. But Dr. Cogen said that's not enough, end point discussion. He's paid to come down here, paid to give a theory, and he  he made sure that, whatever I asked him was going to fit that theory, except it doesn't fit this case. And that's important. That's why it's a search for the truth. No objection was made contemporaneously to these statements. Nor did the trial judge intervene sua sponte. In response to CCHS's motion for a new trial, the trial judge found that [i]n the context of Dr. Connor's counsel's entire and comprehensive closing argument, it cannot be said that the complained-of brief statements did, in fact, vouch for the credibility of witnesses. [13] Additionally, the jury was instructed to disregard any person, opinion, or belief offered by an attorney concerning testimony or evidence. In these circumstances we find no abuse of discretion in the trial judge's denial of the motion for a new trial. [14]