Opinion ID: 405240
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Polygraph Statement

Text: 64 During a particularly probing point in cross-examination, when Deral Keith Holman was being questioned as to his veracity, the witness revealed that he had taken a polygraph examination. 7 Counsel for the appellant reacted to his unexpected response by moving for a mistrial. The judge denied the motion, but gave the jury immediate and specific instructions to disregard the witness's comment: 65 Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, you will disregard the witness's last answer concerning the polygraph test. That's completely irrelevant to this witness's testimony and will not be considered by you in any way in arriving at your verdict. 66 R. Vol. VIII at 108. 67 The Fifth Circuit clearly prohibits admission at trial of the results of a polygraph examination. United States v. Clark, 598 F.2d 994 (5th Cir. 1979). On that basis, the appellants argue that Deral Keith's statement before the jury requires reversal. Although the results of the test were not mentioned, the appellants argue that the witness's reference contained an implication that his testimony had been verified by the exam. 68 The general rule is that evidence withdrawn from the jury with directions to disregard may not constitute reversible error unless it is so prejudicial as to be incurable. United States v. Klein, 546 F.2d 1259, 1263 (5th Cir. 1977); United States v. Smith, 517 F.2d 710, 711 (5th Cir. 1975). Consequently, the appellants' objection hinges on whether the above instructions given by the judge sufficed to remedy the effect of the statement. 69 In United States v. Martino, 648 F.2d 367 (5th Cir. 1981), two references to polygraph examinations were made during trial. In one instance, the key government witness testified impermissibly of his willingness to take a lie detector test; at another point, a different prosecution witness indicated that pending charges against him could be defeated if he were to take a polygraph exam. In holding both these references non-prejudicial, the Fifth Circuit relied on the curative effect of the trial judge's instructions to the jury to disregard the comments, followed by his explanation of the unreliability of polygraph results. 70 Similarly, in United States v. Smith, 565 F.2d 295 (4th Cir. 1977), the government improperly questioned a witness regarding his having taken a lie detector test. The Fourth Circuit deemed the error to have been fully cured by the judge's immediate striking of the evidence and cautionary instruction to the jury directing them to disregard the impermissible question and response. 71 In like fashion, the trial judge in the instant case remedied the error by immediately cautioning the jury to disregard Deral Keith's retort and by reminding them once again at the close of trial of their responsibility to render verdicts solely on the basis of properly admitted testimony. Given this record, we, as the Fifth Circuit in Martino and the Fourth Circuit in Smith, cannot conclude .... that what the judge did was ineffective or that he should have done more. 565 F.2d at 295.