Opinion ID: 1559083
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Deputy Vallely's Testimony.

Text: ¶ 24. In addressing this assignment of error, we first focus on the testimony of Deputy Vallely. During the direct examination by the district attorney, Deputy Vallely testified about meetings with Curtileniea, Holloway, and Brittany. Deputy Vallely likewise informed the jury about contacting the MDHS in Amite County, with MDHS sending over two case workers to interview Brittany, followed by Curtileniea signing the criminal affidavit charging Tate with child molestation. The district attorney then questioned Deputy Vallely about his actions to have a warrant issued and served on Tate based on the criminal affidavit signed by Curtileniea. Deputy Vallely stated that at the time of the issuance of the warrant, Tate was working offshore. From Curtileniea, Deputy Vallely learned that when Tate returned from the offshore rig, he would come ashore at New Iberia, Louisiana; therefore, Vallely contacted the New Iberia Police Department. The following exchange occurred at trial: Q. What, if anything, did you do  what action did you take? I believe you said you called New Iberia. You talked with them. What did you do after that? BY [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I would object based upon relevancy. BY THE COURT: I will overrule at this point, but let's cover this and move on. BY [DISTRICT ATTORNEY]: Yes, sir. I am trying to get there, Judge. BY THE WITNESS: I notified New Iberia to be on the lookout for him and for his vehicle because of possible suicide. BY [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Your Honor, I object to that. BY [DISTRICT ATTORNEY]: I am not trying to solicit that, Your Honor. BY THE COURT: I'll sustain. I'll sustain the objection to that. Ladies and gentlemen, you're to disregard that last statement. Now, apparently he was arrested. Let's move on to a different subject. BY [DISTRICT ATTORNEY]: Yes, sir. The district attorney then proceeded to ask Deputy Vallely about the details of the arrest and the initial appearance in justice court, to which defense counsel objected as to relevancy, and the trial judge sustained the objection, reasoning that [i]t's been established he was arrested. In response to the district attorney's final question, Deputy Vallely stated he had no further involvement in the investigation of Tate's case, and Vallely was thus tendered for cross-examination by defense counsel. ¶ 25. Deputy Vallely unquestionably testified that he had informed personnel at the New Iberia Police Department to be on the lookout for [Tate] and for his vehicle because of possible suicide. Once defense counsel objected, the district attorney informed the trial court that this was not the response he was attempting to elicit. The trial judge sustained defense counsel's objection and promptly admonished the jury, sua sponte, to disregard the last response by the witness. The trial judge likewise admonished the district attorney to move on to a different subject, to which the district attorney responded, Yes, sir. Additionally, the trial court instructed the jury in writing on this issue by way of Jury Instruction D-7B (Instruction No. 2), which stated in pertinent part: Do not consider for any purpose any offer of evidence that was rejected, or any evidence that was stricken by the Court; treat it as though you had never heard of it. The trial court likewise gave its general Instruction No. 1, which stated, inter alia, that the jurors were bound by their oath to follow the law as given by the trial court, and that the jury was to disregard all evidence excluded by the trial court and thus not consider this excluded evidence. ¶ 26. As we have noted, this Court on appeal generally has the right to presume that jurors will adhere to their oaths and follow the instructions given to them by the trial court. Walton, 998 So.2d at 977 (citing Wheeler, 826 So.2d at 740). Thus, in today's case, we find that any possible prejudice which could have resulted from the witness's unsolicited response to the district attorney's question was cured by the trial judge's prompt remedial action.