Opinion ID: 1913318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 29

Heading: did the prosecutor testify about eegs and brain scans in his questioning of the defense psychologist?

Text: ¶ 131. Holland asserts that the prosecutor testified when he asked Dr. Zimmerman, the defense psychologist, certain questions in cross-examination. First, during voir dire of the witness, the prosecutor asked Dr. Zimmerman if he was a medical doctor. The prosecutor then stated, When my car doesn't run I know it doesn't run, but I don't necessarily know what's going on in the engine... . The prosecutor was then interrupted by an objection. When asked by the trial court to what his questioning was leading, the prosecutor responded that the point I'm making is psychologists must rely on medical reports to determine the physical condition of the brain. The prosecutor then asked Dr. Zimmerman if he had to rely on medical reports to determine the physical condition of the brain. The trial court sustained the objection as going outside the purpose of determining the witness' qualifications. ¶ 132. Holland asserts that this questioning was error because our caselaw requires questions with evidentiary basis. Hosford v. State, 525 So.2d 789, 792 (Miss. 1988). However, this assertion is distinguished from Hosford. First, the prosecutor in this case was arguing a point to the judge, not the jury, that psychologists were unable to discuss brain injuries, as opposed to offering evidence through questioning. Although the prosecutor's car-engine statement may have been testimony disguised as a question, this Court cannot evaluate the incident because it was cut short by Holland's objection. ¶ 133. Another alleged error arose when Dr. Zimmerman responded on cross that Holland's medical reports, indicating Holland was normal, did not rebut his tests indicating brain dysfunction because his tests and the medical report tests measured different things. The prosecutor responded, They [the medical reports on EEGs and brain scans] measured the physical body and its function with an EEG and a brain scan, and let's go back to your tests. Now at the time that you first saw him was he intact with reality? Holland did not object to these alleged errors; thus, we hold that they are procedurally barred from review absent plain error, which we decline to find. See Box v. State, 610 So.2d 1148, 1154 (Miss. 1992). ¶ 134. Another incident arose when the prosecutor was apparently attempting to have Dr. Zimmerman admit that he relied upon brain scans and EEGs to determine physical dysfunctions of the brain. The prosecutor began to ask if the psychologist had to rely on medical tests and diagnosis (sic) to understand the exact locus or existence of a particular brain injury? The prosecutor then asked, If a medical doctor has stated that there is a normal function here and a psychological test indicates some failure to perform to a standard ... do you expect that's a physical basis or a psychological basis? The prosecutor withdrew his question on objection, but Holland failed to ask that the prosecutor's comment be disregarded. Even if this comment were objectionable, courts have held that failure to ask the jury to disregard the statement waives objection to the statement remaining in the record. Wade v. State, 490 N.E.2d 1097, 1104 (Ind. 1986). We hold that the comment having been withdrawn required an objection with a request that the jury disregard. There was none, thus the statement is waived. ¶ 135. One alleged impropriety occurred when, in response to Dr. Zimmerman's stating he was not sure what the term bad attitude meant, the prosecutor stated, You were sure on the phone the other day when I asked you that question. On the merits, this Court has held that questions which are without evidentiary basis, inflammatory and extremely prejudicial cause reversible error. Hosford, 525 So.2d at 791-92. Since, arguably, the prosecutor would have been able to impeach Dr. Zimmerman with this line of questioning, we hold that this alleged error does not rise to the level of Hosford.