Opinion ID: 1060830
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: testimony of prior crimes

Text: Appellant Quintero argues that the trial court erred by failing to grant a mistrial after Zackery Pallay testified that he and Quintero had done the armed robbery together. He contends that due to the similarities of the crime of armed robbery and the charges in this case, the mention of the armed robbery was devastating. We hold that the trial court properly denied appellant Quintero's request for a mistrial. At a jury-out hearing, the trial court made the following ruling concerning the testimony of Mr. Pallay, a witness for the prosecution: All right. Gentlemen, I'm going to rule that this witness is not to testify about the armed robbery conviction and the reason being is this, let me go back a little bit. He has known Mr. Quintero since they were youngsters. He will testify that he wasI'm sure the reason of this evidence that him and his father used to set up trailers in the Leatherwood area, Mr. Quintero and his father, so that puts Mr. Quintero familiar with the Leatherwood area, so that cuts down on the probative value of what else you're trying to get to. That is, that you can prove by this testimony that Mr. Quintero was familiar with the Leatherwood area, so that cuts down on that probative value of what was even said later on when they were in prison, number one. And number two, is the prejudicial effect certainly in that case then would outweigh the probative value, so do not state that they were in prison, period. Shortly into his testimony, Mr. Pallay stated that he and appellant Quintero had been close friends [u]p until the time we done the armed robbery together. The trial court, sua sponte, instructed the jury to strike that last statement, disregard that completely. A juryout hearing was then held where appellant Quintero requested a mistrial, which the trial court denied. Whether to grant a mistrial lies in the discretion of the trial judge. State v. Adkins, 786 S.W.2d 642, 644 (Tenn.1990). A mistrial should be declared in a criminal case only in the event of a manifest necessity that requires such action. State v. Millbrooks, 819 S.W.2d 441, 443 (Tenn.Crim.App.1991). The trial court's determination will not be overturned on appeal unless it is shown that the trial court abused its discretion. State v. Adkins, 786 S.W.2d 642, 644; see State v. Mounce, 859 S.W.2d 319, 322 (Tenn.1993). In the present case, the jury was already aware that appellant Quintero was an escaped convict. Moreover, Sheriff Hicks had already testified that appellant Quintero and Mr. Pallay had served time together at Eddyville. While this testimony came out when counsel for appellant Hall was cross-examining Sheriff Hicks, there was no objection by appellant Quintero. More importantly, the trial court gave a curative instruction which the jury is presumed to have followed. Frazier v. State, 566 S.W.2d 545, 551 (Tenn.Crim.App.1977). While Mr. Pallay should not have testified that he and appellant Quintero had previously committed an armed robbery together, we do not find that the statement, by itself, required the trial court to grant a mistrial.