Opinion ID: 1058157
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The First Statement

Text: The prosecutor said this to the jury: The defense did put in some evidence. They put in the three lab reports, and they had all of this here. You better believe that if there were one shred of evidence in all of this that proved that the defendant was not guilty that [defense counsel] would have presented it to you, and he didn't. Donna objected to the argument, and the circuit court overruled the objection. Donna now argues that the prosecutor's statement was an improper comment on the Defendant's failure to present evidence, including [her] failure to testify. However, we do not reach the merits of Donna's argument in support of her first two assignments of error. Unless a defendant has made a timely motion for a cautionary instruction or for a mistrial, we will not consider [her] assignments of error alleging that improper remarks were made by the prosecutor. Schmitt v. Commonwealth, 262 Va. 127, 148, 547 S.E.2d 186, 200 (2001); see also Sheppard v. Commonwealth, 250 Va. 379, 394-95, 464 S.E.2d 131, 140-41 (1995); Breard v. Commonwealth, 248 Va. 68, 82, 445 S.E.2d 670, 679 (1994); Cheng v. Commonwealth, 240 Va. 26, 38, 393 S.E.2d 599, 605-06 (1990). Donna did not make a motion in the circuit court for a cautionary instruction or for a mistrial. Hence, she has waived any claim of error she may have had with respect to the First Statement. Rule 5:25; see, e.g., Schmitt, 262 Va. at 148, 547 S.E.2d at 200-01 (2010).