Opinion ID: 2125556
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Prosecutor as Witness

Text: Holder asserts that she was denied a fair trial when the prosecutor took the stand as a rebuttal witness. The topic was a statement the prosecutor made at the police station. During her own testimony, Holder recited the prosecutor's statements this way: Q1060 What, if anything, did the police officer tell you? A Uh, I kept askin' them if I needed a lawyer and they said that they didn't figure I really did and uh they was tapin' some of this stuff down even uh Mr. Duvall [the prosecutor] he come in and he was sittin' there and I was cryin' and pretty upset and he put his hand on my arm and told me that, uh, he said calm down, there was an Indiana State Law that says that or the self defense law for you to protect your family and yourself. Q1061 The prosecutor said this? A Yes sir. Record at 470. During the State's rebuttal, the prosecutor testified in narrative form: The recollection of the events of that evening are such that there is an understanding with all the Scott County Police Officers that whenever there is a death of any type either the prosecuting attorney or the deputy prosecuting attorney are to be contacted. Now I received a call from the Scott City Police indicating that they had a death, a shooting, I was not informed at the time the call came to my home who was involved, I went to the Scottsburg City Police Department, at the time of my arrival at the police department Bonnie Holder, Denise Kniep and Brian Kniep were already at the station and questioning of Bonnie Holder had already commenced. I went into Chief Meeks' office where the questioning was under way by Officer Amick, the only questioning that I conducted that morning was I asked Denise 2 or 3 questions at the end of her statement; I make it a procedure not to ask questions of witnesses simply to avoid this type of situation; Mrs. Holder that evening was very upset her statement in that regard is correct, she was crying I think she kept repeating that she had to do it or it was in self defense and I am certain that someone, I don't know whether it was myself or one of the officers did indicate to her that there is a self defense law in Indiana, it is not my recollection that anyone indicated to her that there was no culpability on her part I think the indication was very clear that there would have to be some investigation. Your witness, Mr. Randall. Record at 487-88. Defense counsel did not object to the prosecutor's testimony, nor did he cross-examine the prosecutor. Record at 486, 488. The failure to object at trial presents no error for appellate review. Whittle v. State (1989), Ind., 542 N.E.2d 981, 990. [2]