Opinion ID: 1276352
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's Motion for Mistrial Based on Alleged References to His Failure to Testify.

Text: During the course of the prosecutor's closing summation to the jury, he was interrupted by defendant's counsel who objected and moved for a mistrial on the ground that the prosecutor had made reference to defendant's failure to testify. The substance of these remarks were not reported. In the hearing which followed, the trial court, who was present in the courtroom and heard the remarks, stated that the remarks had reference to defendant's obligation to disclose his changing financial circumstances to the bank in connection with loan renewals. The court specifically found that the statements to which the motion for mistrial related did not pertain to the decision of the defendant in not testifying at the time of the trial. The defendant sought to controvert the trial court's recollection of these remarks by calling two courtroom bystanders as witnesses. These witnesses were unable to controvert the facts as recalled by the trial court. On the basis of the record made, we have nothing to review. No error appears with respect to the denial of defendant's motion for mistrial.