Opinion ID: 2644277
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Wife’s Comments.

Text: ¶22 MacGregor also argues that Wearley was exposed to prejudicial extraneous information when his wife said that MacGregor was “making excuses” for his conduct. We have held that a district court is within its discretion to deny a retrial when an assertion of prejudice has no grounds in the record. State v. White, 2008 MT 129, ¶ 13, 343 Mont. 66, 184 P.3d 1008 (“Although White asserts that Lindbergh’s impermissible comment prejudiced the jury . . . his claim of prejudice fades when the record is considered.”). Testimony at the District Court’s inquiry indicated that Wearley’s statements occurred in the midst of a civics lesson with his children about the trial, and Wearley himself did not express his opinion or seek the opinion of his wife. No evidence was presented that Wearley was persuaded or influenced by his wife’s opinion of the trial. The District Court properly concluded that Wearley was not exposed to any statement that would prejudice his view of MacGregor’s position at trial. ¶23 Did the District Court err by failing to inquire into MacGregor’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim and the voluntariness of his decision to represent himself?