Opinion ID: 2081607
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Comments of Prosecutor

Text: The prosecutor during the hearing on defendant's motion to suppress referred to defendant failing a polygraph exam. Later in the same hearing he referred to the defendant's failure to take the stand in a prior trial. Motions were made for a mistrial and for change of judge. Objections were sustained but the motions were denied. These comments do not constitute prejudice to the defendant. It can be presumed that a trial judge is not swayed by evidence which is considered prejudicial before a jury. These comments were not made before the trial jury. In actions tried by a judge it is presumed that he disregarded inadmissible evidence. 1 Wigmore on Evidence § 4 (Supp. 1977). It was not error for the trial court to have overruled the motions without a hearing.