Opinion ID: 601810
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Reference to Prior Trial

Text: 37 Appellant alleges that he was prejudiced at trial when a government witness briefly and inadvertently referred to the defendant's previous trial and a prior motion to suppress hearing. 13 The allegedly prejudicial references were responses by Officer Scott made pursuant to a valid evidentiary function--to establish the chain of custody of the seized cocaine. Officer Scott's responses were merely an attempt to account for the evidence while it remained in his possession. United States v. Wilson, 922 F.2d 1336 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 112 S.Ct. 155, 116 L.Ed.2d 120 (1991). 38 Moreover, we emphasize that the trial judge offered to instruct the jury to disregard the reference. Potentially prejudicial evidence may be cured, or admitted for a narrowly drawn purpose, through the issuance of appropriate limiting instructions. United States v. Gordon, 780 F.2d 1165, 1174 (5th Cir.1986). Counsel for the defendant 14 refused the offer, undoubtedly under the belief that any further emphasis would only serve to heighten the jury's awareness of the potentially prejudicial reference. Having chosen to refuse a jury instruction addressing the inadvertent utterance, defendant cannot now complain that one should have been given.