Opinion ID: 2637359
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Trooper's Testimony

Text: Valley also argues that the district court committed reversible error by admitting the highway patrol trooper's opinion into evidence. Our reversal on the instruction issue negates the need for an analysis of this contention. However, we comment briefly for instructional purposes. While the trooper gave his personal opinion regarding the placement of warning devices on towed implements, the jury may have believed that the officer's testimony expressed his opinion as to Valley's contributing actions. We have held that testimony of this nature is prohibited. See Ratterree v. Bartlett, 238 Kan. 11, Syl. ¶ 1, 707 P.2d 1063 (1985) (finding that officers who investigate accidents may not give opinion testimony concerning the ultimate question of negligence because it would invade the province of the jury); Kleibrink v. Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Co., 224 Kan. 437, 440, 581 P.2d 372 (1978) (stating that the officer could not testify regarding his opinion that the decedent's inattentive driving contributed to his death). On retrial the appropriate inquiry should key on the relevance of the officer's personal opinion.