Opinion ID: 1618614
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motions for mistrial and new trial

Text: For his second point on appeal, Appellant asserts that the circuit court erred in denying his motions for mistrial and new trial. Specifically, he contends that his motions should have been granted because Jennifer Beaty, who analyzed DNA evidence found on a pair of S.O.'s underwear, recalculated her figures and changed her testimony before trial. In Beaty's report, dated December 14, 2006, Beaty stated that the DNA tests showed that the DNA was consistent with S.O.'s DNA. At trial, Beaty testified that the DNA found on the underwear was S.O.'s DNA. On appeal, Appellant is arguing that this amounted to a discovery violation pursuant to Arkansas Rule of Criminal Procedure 17.1(a)(iv) and that the proper sanction was mistrial pursuant to Rule 19.1. The State responds, asserting that Appellant has not preserved the issue with regard to mistrial, but alternatively argues that the denial of the mistrial motion was proper. We must first address whether Appellant's motion for mistrial was preserved for appeal. The State asserts that, while Appellant argued that Beaty's opinion on the stand differed from that contained in her report and that she testified to calculations not included in her report, he did not allege that the situation amounted to a discovery violation under Ark. R.Crim. P. 17.1, nor did he argue that a mistrial was warranted as a sanction for that violation under Ark. R.Crim. P. 19.7. A criminal defendant is entitled, under Rule 17.1(a)(iv) to any reports or statements of experts, made in connection with the particular case, including results of physical or mental examinations, scientific tests, experiments or comparisons. At the trial, Appellant's counsel stated: MR. JAMES: I'm moving for a mistrial, I mean I wasn't [given] this information. This is newI mean I had this informationI got up on opening statement and gave an opening statement based on the report that she gavehad given to me that's been in the file and had for a year. And now she'sshe's come in here and I mean obviously she testified to it before lunch but now she's changed she'sI mean herher theopinions I was given as anfrom the expert has now changed. It appears that although Appellant didn't specifically reference Rules 17.1 and 19.7, he clearly moved for mistrial because Beaty testified to something that was not in the reports provided to him as a part of discovery. We reject the State's preservation argument on this point. The circuit court denied Appellant's motion for mistrial because it was untimely. This court has been resolute in holding that a motion for mistrial must be made at the first opportunity. See, e.g., Ellis v. State, 366 Ark. 46, 233 S.W.3d 606 (2006); King v. State, 361 Ark. 402, 206 S.W.3d 883 (2005); Rodgers v. State, 360 Ark. 24, 199 S.W.3d 625 (2004); Ferguson v. State, 343 Ark. 159, 33 S.W.3d 115 (2000). The reason for this is that a circuit court should be given an opportunity to correct any perceived error before prejudice occurs. Ellis, supra ; Rodgers, supra ; Ferguson, supra . Here, Beaty testified twice that the DNA belonged to S.O. during the State's direct examination. She also testified regarding the statistics she used in reaching her determination that the DNA belonged to S.O. Following the first time Beaty testified that the DNA was S.O.'s, Appellant objected but did not move for mistrial. The State asked Beaty several more questions, and Beaty again testified that the DNA belonged to S.O. with no objection from Appellant. After the State completed its direct examination of Beaty, the court asked if there was anything else to take up and Appellant's counsel stated, [n]ot at this time, Your Honor, not from the Defendant. The court then took a lunch recess, and it was not until Appellant began his cross-examination of Beaty that he moved for mistrial. Appellant's motion for mistrial was untimely. We need not reach the issue of whether the denial of the motion was an abuse of discretion on the merits. The decision whether to grant or deny a motion for new trial lies within the sound discretion of the circuit court. Clark v. State, 358 Ark. 469, 192 S.W.3d 248 (2004). Because Appellant's motion for new trial was brought on the same grounds as the mistrial motion, we hold that there was no abuse of discretion in denying his motion for new trial.