Opinion ID: 3015153
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Forrest’s A llegations Of “A ttorney

Text: Misconduct” Forrest argues for a new trial on the basis of alleged attorney misconduct by counsel for Beloit.4 The arguments grouped by Forrest under the heading of attorney misconduct cover a wide range of issues, including concerns regarding evidentiary rulings, defense counsel’s facial expressions, an incourt demonstration performed by defense counsel, and the tenor and content of defense counsel’s questions to witnesses and statements in closing arguments. We review the District Court’s decisions concerning alleged attorney misconduct under an abuse of discretion standard. Due to his superior vantage point, the trial judge is entrusted with wide discretion in matters relating to the conduct of counsel during trial. See Greenleaf v. Garlock, Inc., 174 F.3d 352, 363 (3d Cir. 1999) (citing Fineman v. Armstrong World Indus., Inc., 980 F.2d 171, 207 (3d Cir. 1992)). Accordingly, under our deferential review, we will grant a new trial only where the allegedly improper statements or conduct make it “reasonably probable” that the verdict was influenced by the resulting prejudice. See Greenleaf, 174 F.3d at 363-64; Waldorf, 142 F.3d at 627-28; Great Bay Hotel & Casino v. Tose, 34 F.3d 1227, 1236 (3d Cir. 1994). 4 Beloit’s counsel on appeal did not represent Beloit at trial, and the conduct of Beloit’s appellate counsel has not been questioned. 16 Our consideration of the record, coupled with our deferential standard of review, compels the conclusion that the District Court did not err in refusing to grant Forrest a new trial on the basis of the alleged attorney misconduct by counsel for Beloit. Forrest’s scattered assertions concerning alleged “editorializing” by counsel for Beloit for the most part lack record support. In the one instance where Forrest requested a curative instruction, the District Court reasonably noted that the jury had heard the Court’s admonitions with respect to editorializing, and that an additional instruction would serve only to highlight the questioned statements for the jury.5 We need not address Forrest’s remaining allegations of attorney misconduct in detail, as we are remanding for a new trial. We note, however, that Forrest has identified certain actions of Beloit’s trial counsel which may reasonably be questioned. In particular, we believe counsel for Beloit should not have invoked in his closing argument a prior courtroom demonstration in which he attempted to simulate Forrest’s efforts to clear the paper jam on the night Forrest was injured. 5 Forrest also complains that Beloit’s counsel made inappropriate facial expressions in the presence of the jury. The matter was brought to the attention of the trial judge, who explained that he had not noticed such expressions, but nonetheless urged counsel for both parties to avoid making faces in front of the jury. The role of a trial judge should not be akin to that of schoolyard supervisor, and we perceive no flaw in the manner in which the able and patient trial judge dealt with this issue. 17 This attempted demonstration, involving a variety of poles and a ladder, was subject to repeated sustained objections, and the District Court eventually ordered Beloit’s trial counsel to discontinue the demonstration. Notwithstanding the District Court’s ruling, counsel for Beloit invoked the demonstration repeatedly in his closing, arguing that it validated the defense’s theory of causation. Two of the references to this demonstration occurred after the District Court had informed Forrest’s trial counsel that it would not permit further objections during closing arguments. We recognize both the breadth of the District Court’s discretion with respect to trial proceedings and the desirability of permitting each party to present its closing statement free from undue interruption. However, this freedom is not a license to flout a district court’s earlier rulings restricting reliance on misleading courtroom demonstrations or inadmissible evidence. Although Beloit’s counsel “crossed the line,” we do not consider his conduct so severe as to warrant a new trial.