Opinion ID: 1872538
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Use of Rap CD in Opening Statement

Text: Before trial, Louisville police officers came into possession of a rap CD allegedly made by Appellant, his brother Kenneth, and Two Tom Taylor. The three charged an officer five dollars for the CD. The trial court allowed the CD to be played during the Commonwealth's opening statement over the objection of Appellant, but warned the Commonwealth that if the CD was not admitted during trial that the Appellant would be entitled to a mistrial. The Commonwealth Attorney asserted a good faith belief' that statements on the CD would constitute adoptive admissions by Appellant, and during opening, commented that the Crips rapped about a violent act they committed on July 31, 2000. After playing the CD, the Commonwealth commented further that the lyrics said shot the bitch at close range and remember the 31st. Later during the trial when the Commonwealth offered the CD into evidence, the trial court excluded it because it could not be properly authenticated or construed as adoptive admissions. Appellant moved for a mistrial, reminding the trial court that it had said a mistrial would be warranted if the CD proved inadmissible when he had objected to the CD being played in opening statement. Instead, the trial court elected to admonish the jury to totally disregard the CD. However, this was done in a somewhat unorthodox way: the admonition was given at the close of one day and again at the beginning of the next. After the first admonition, the trial court allowed the jurors to respond openly as to whether they could disregard the CD. All nodded that they could. The next day, after telling the jury that it understood how difficult it was to respond truthfully in front of the other jurors, the trial court instructed the jury to make a private written response as to whether each could disregard the CD. All again said they could. In making these admonitions, the trial court repeatedly referenced the CD, obviously trying valiantly to ensure that the jury understood it should not be considered as evidence. The motion for mistrial was then denied. While a mistrial is disfavored, the trial court retains broad discretion to determine whether, a mistrial is necessary and appropriate. Gosser v. Commonwealth, 31 S.W.3d. 897, 906 (Ky.2000). Nevertheless, one should be granted where there is a serious error such that a mistrial is a manifest or urgent necessity. Id; Commonwealth v. Scott, 12 S.W.3d 682 (Ky.2000). This case presents two issues regarding use of the CD, both of which are preserved. First, Appellant objected to the use of the CD during the Commonwealth's opening statement. Second, he objected to any admissibility of the CD in the Commonwealth's case in chief. Based on the record, it was error to use the CD in either instance. Over the last several years, the scope of statements made during opening remarks has expanded considerably. The purpose of opening statement is to outline for the jury what the proponent expects his proof to be. Fields v. Commonwealth, 12 S.W.3d 275, 281 (Ky.2000) (The only legitimate purpose of an opening statement is so to explain to the jury the issue they are to try that they may understand the bearing of the evidence to be introduced.); Co-De Coal Co. v. Combs, 325 S.W.2d 78, 79 (Ky.1959) (An opening statement of counsel is prefatory to introducing evidence. Its purpose or function is merely to inform the judge and the jury in a general way of the nature of the case and the issues involved, particularly to outline what the attorney's client expects to prove.). In aid of that, charts, photographs and other demonstrative materials are used to explain the proposed testimony. The obvious problem with using various materials in the opening statement is that they have not been properly admitted into evidence at that point. Thus, use of evidence in opening statements must be limited generally, and use of evidence like that in this case simply is not allowed. See Fields, 12 S.W.3d at 281 (While we have allowed prosecutors to display admissible items of real evidence to the jury during opening statement, we have never sanctioned the playing of a witness's prerecorded testimony during opening statement, much less a witness's prerecorded unsworn statement. (citations omitted)). The same is true about commentary made by counsel that is not later supported by evidence admitted into the record. If the materials or commentary go beyond a brief explanation, a great risk is created that a mistrial may become necessary. While there is certainly the temptation to advance one's argument at the beginning of the trial so that the jury understands not only what the testimony is expected to be, but the proponent's theory of the case as well, this is not the intent of opening statement, and pushing the envelope results in error such as occurred here. In playing the CD during opening statement and in telling the jury what it purported to say, the Commonwealth placed unauthenticated evidence before the jury. As the trial developed it became apparent that the Commonwealth could not establish the meaning of the words, or even what they were, through witnesses, nor could the Commonwealth prove who made the CD, or whether the Appellant was actually connected to it. In short, the Commonwealth was able to tell the jury that the CD referred to the Appellant having committed the murder of which he was accused, and that he was bragging about it through the CD recording (which was clearly prejudicial) even though the CD could not be sufficiently authenticated to be admitted into evidence. Obviously the Appellant had no ability to cross-examine regarding this information or to otherwise properly defend against it. By using unauthenticated materials in opening statement the Commonwealth unfairly exposed the jury to inflammatory information of such a nature that no admonition could reasonably be believed to cure it. This case falls squarely within the parameters of Johnson v. Commonwealth, 105 S.W.3d 430 (Ky.2003). In Johnson , this Court found that the presumptive efficacy of an admonition falters when there, is an overwhelming probability that a jury cannot follow the admonition about evidence devastating to the defendant, or when the evidence is without a factual basis and is inflammatory or highly prejudicial. A rap song bragging about committing a violent murder that is ascribed to a defendant, along with the inferential fears about gang activity, is clearly inflammatory and certainly becomes prejudicial if it cannot be properly linked to that defendant. While the trial court went to some length here to obtain statements from the jury that each would disregard what they had heard on and about the CD, the inflammatory nature of the improper evidence is such that, even with the best intentions in the world, the jury cannot be expected to truly disregard it. While curative admonitions are strongly favored, the Court in Johnson enunciated the necessary exceptions, as this case demonstrates. This Court is stopping short today of saying that no aids or materials may be used in opening statement. However, it is necessary that when, evidentiary materials are used, they must at least be authenticated or their admissibility determined before their use. Likewise, commentary should be linked to that which can be supported by the evidence reasonably expected to be admitted. Otherwise, a mistrial is invited when an admonition may not be able to cure the error. The trial court must be the gatekeeper for the proper use of materials not yet admitted into evidence in the opening statement. To fail to do so is an abuse of discretion, and in this case requires reversal and remand for a new trial.