Opinion ID: 1860641
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the trial court erred in allowing dr. chouteau to use rmc's hospital log book and in disallowing duncan the use of an unidentified person's rays as demonstrative evidence

Text: ¶ 18. Duncan claims she was prejudiced by the trial court allowing Dr. Chouteau to use the Register of Operations, RMC's log book of operations performed, because it was a previously undisclosed business record. However, she offers no authority in support of this argument, consequently, this issue is not properly before us. See R.C. Petroleum, Inc. v. Hernandez, 555 So.2d 1017, 1023 (Miss.1990). We have been clear that when a litigant fails to cite authority for his claim of error, we will not address them. Gerrard v. State, 619 So.2d 212, 216 (Miss.1993) (citing Wright v. State, 540 So.2d 1 (Miss.1989) (claims with no citation to authority in support are not properly before the Court)). Duncan has an affirmative duty to address the issues she raises and to give authoritative support for her position. Gerrard, 619 So.2d at 216. Failure to do so is fatal to her argument on this appeal.
¶ 19. Duncan also claims that she was prejudiced by not being allowed to use a normal x-ray of an unidentified person as demonstrative evidence during direct examination of her expert Dr. Abrams. She argues that the x-ray was to be used for comparison purposes only, like a tape measure, and was not being offered as evidence or an exhibit. ¶ 20. Dr. Chouteau avers that the trial court was proper in not allowing the use of an x-ray of a another person because he requested the disclosure of exhibits to be used at trial or offered into evidence through discovery. Duncan listed several items in response to the discovery requests and supplemented her responses. However, she never listed the x-ray. ¶ 21. Provided proper authentication was had, allowing the x-ray for comparison and explanatory purposes would have been harmless error at best, especially since Dr. Chouteau would have had the opportunity to cross-examine Dr. Abrams. However, it was within the trial judge's discretion to exclude the x-ray. We find no prejudice resulted as Dr. Abrams was still able to explain her position to the jury using Smith's x-ray.
¶ 22. Duncan's attorney began questioning Dr. Chouteau as his first witness, but interrupted that testimony to question Dr. Abrams because she had to return to her job in another state. After questioning Dr. Abrams, he resumed questioning Dr. Chouteau and later cross-examined him again following direct examination of Dr. Chouteau as a witness in his own case. The trial judge told counsel to move on twice stating you had this witness on the stand two and a half hours a day ago. This is a question period based on what he asked in his direct examination. I think you're a little bit out of field. The trial judge again told Duncan's attorney on two other occasions he was outside the scope of his examination. ¶ 23. The scope of cross-examination, though ordinarily broad, is within the sound discretion of the trial court and the trial court, possesses inherent power to limit cross-examination to relevant matters. Smith v. State 733 So.2d 793, 801 (Miss.1999) (citing Pace v. State, 473 So.2d 167 (Miss.1985); Dozier v. State, 257 So.2d 857 (Miss.1972)). As noted above, the trial transcript shows that most of the limitations with which Duncan brings issue pertain to the scope of questions asked during cross-examination. We find no abuse of discretion in the limitations placed by the trial judge. Therefore this issue is without merit.
¶ 24. Duncan contends that because the trial judge questioned Dr. Chouteau's expert, Dr. Frederick Carlton, at the closing of her cross-examination, the jury inferred that the court agreed with Dr. Chouteau's position. All parties agree that Smith had an injured aorta. The judge asked Dr. Carlton questions regarding aortagrams, the procedure for repairing the aorta, pertaining to the amount of time it took to prepare and perform said procedure and whether an aortagram could have been performed at RMC. The trial judge concluded by asking all parties if they had any questions based on the questions he asked, and all parties declined. After a recess, the judge came back and explained to the jury, on the record, that he asked questions of Dr. Carlton to gain an understanding of how long it took to do an aortagram since there was testimony that RMC could not perform the procedure. ¶ 25. This issue was not properly preserved for appeal. Pursuant to Mississippi Rule of Evidence 614(c), objections to the court questioning a witness can be made at the time of the questioning or at the next available opportunity when the jury is not present. M.R.E. 614(c). Duncan did not make any objection or ask any questions of Dr. Carlton after the judge concluded his questioning. Therefore, this issue is not properly before us. See Smith v. State, 724 So.2d 280, 322 (Miss.1998). Further, the trial judge has the right to call and question witnesses. This assignment of error is without merit.

¶ 26. Duncan submits that the defendants' closing argument contained prejudicial statements designed to influence the jury. In his closing argument, RMC's attorney stated, In a case like this, where we've got the loss of a young person ... pulls at all of our hearts, and it should. The only thing to make that worse is to punish that man and this hospital in an unacceptable way. Duncan's objection to the reference to punishment was sustained, and counsel then rephrased his statement to omit any reference to punishment. Duncan's attorney did not ask the judge to give a limiting instruction to the jury, but took the opportunity in his closing argument to further negate the statement by saying, we're not here to punish Dr. Chouteau. ¶ 27. A trial judge has wide discretion in controlling the remarks and argument of attorneys. General Motors Acceptance Corp. v. Layton, 353 So.2d 749, 754 (Miss.1977). We have also said that the trial judge is in a better position to observe and decide if a remark is improper. James W. Sessums Timber Co. v. McDaniel, 635 So.2d 875, 882 (Miss.1994). Considering that an objection was made and sustained, the statement was rephrased, and counsel took the opportunity to further address the statement during his closing, we find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion and no prejudice was shown.
¶ 28. Duncan also argues that the jury did not deliberate and must have been influenced by emotional factors because it was out less than fifteen minutes before coming to a decision. However, she offered no authority in support of this argument. Consequently, this issue is not properly before us. See Gerrard, 619 So.2d at 216; R.C. Petroleum, 555 So.2d at 1023. Duncan has an affirmative duty to address the issues she raises and to give authoritative support for her position. Id. Failure to do so frees us from addressing the issue. ¶ 29. Notwithstanding this, our case law is well settled that short deliberations do not automatically evidence bias or prejudice. See Gray v. State, 728 So.2d 36 (Miss.1998) (upholding a seven minute jury verdict); Smith v. State, 569 So.2d 1203 (Miss.1990) (upholding a three minute jury verdict); and Johnson v. State, 252 So.2d 221 (Miss.1971) (upholding ten minute jury verdict). We have held that [t]here is no yardstick of time which a jury should use before reaching a verdict. Johnson, 252 So.2d at 224. Also, we have developed no formula for calculating the length jury deliberations should last. Smith, 569 So.2d at 1204. For these reasons, we find no error.