Opinion ID: 1791345
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether the trial court erred in granting plaintiff's motion in limine precluding defendant's expert witness from relying on and mentioning the perpetrators' criminal background and gang involvement.

Text: ¶ 18. Rulings on the admissibility of expert testimony are reviewed for abuse of discretion. Todd v. State, 806 So.2d 1086, 1095 (Miss.2001); Hall v. State, 611 So.2d 915, 919 (Miss.1992). Prior to trial, Sampson moved to preclude Gatewood's expert from testifying about the criminal backgrounds and gang affiliations of Sampson's attackers on the grounds that such information is irrelevant, prejudicial, and hearsay. The trial court granted the motion, finding such evidence irrelevant. Gatewood now claims the trial court erred because experts are allowed to form opinions relying upon and testify concerning evidence not in the record. Sampson counters that Gatewood's expert had ample opportunity to give his opinion concerning the foreseeability of the attack without mentioning the background of Sampson's assailants and did so at trial. Sampson also notes no offer of proof was made about the criminal background of Sampson's attackers which would help the Court determine if the testimony could have affected the outcome of the case. ¶ 19. The Mississippi Rules of Evidence allow an expert to offer opinion testimony based upon facts which are not in evidence. The expert may testify in terms of opinion or inferences and give his reasons therefor without prior disclosure of the underlying facts or data, unless the court requires otherwise. The expert may in any event be required to disclose the underlying facts or data on cross-examination. Miss. R. Evid. 705. However, all evidence must be relevant to be admissible. Miss. R. Evid. 402. Finally, relevant evidence can be excluded where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury. Miss. R. Evid. 403. ¶ 20. We find the criminal history of Sampson's attackers was irrelevant to prove the underlying issue whether Gatewood was negligent in the care of his patron Sampson. The stated purpose of the evidence of criminal history was to show that no security measures would have protected Sampson against the determined attack of hardened criminals. Gatewood's expert was allowed to testify that, in his opinion, the attack was unpreventable. In the presence of the jury he testified that Sampson's attackers had been ingesting marijuana and driving around looking for someone to rob. He also testified that, since they were operating under the influence of illegal drugs and had developed a plan of attack prior to encountering Sampson, he did not think security measures such as a security camera or a security guard would have prevented the attack. Therefore, the expert was allowed to accomplish the purpose for which he was placed in front of the jury. To allow testimony that the attack was orchestrated by men affiliated with a gang and with criminal histories would only have misled the jurors and confused the issues. Such information's probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. The trial court's ruling was not an abuse of discretion, and we will not overturn it.