Opinion ID: 2536023
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the trial court erred by refusing to grant a mistrial based upon the court's comments to the alleged victim following her testimony.

Text: ¶ 12. After Hailey's testimony, the trial court stated: You may be excused. Thank you. I think you held up nicely. Hailey replied: You['re] welcome. Clark and Kenneth jointly moved for a mistrial, arguing that the court's comments were improper because they could have swayed the jury's sympathy toward Hailey. The court explained that the purpose of the comments had been to encourage the child witness, who had a heavy hand laid on her by each of the two attorneys. The court denied the motion for a mistrial, but granted the prosecution's request for a limiting instruction. ¶ 13. Before testimony resumed the next day, the trial court gave the following instruction to the jury: Let me say to you that on yesterday, near the close of the day, at the end of the testimony of the victim, [Hailey], she testified under rigorous cross-examination, direct examination and redirect examination. And after the court observed her, the court said to her, you did well. That was no intent on the part of the court to comment upon the believability of her testimony, or it was in no way to mean that the court disbelieved her testimony. The court and the attorneys have told you throughout this trial that you are the fact finder, that you're to base your decision on the facts and the law. The court further instructed the jury that it was not to consider as evidence any statements of the court or the attorneys. Then, the court asked if the jury could lay aside the statement made by the court, and the jury responded affirmatively. The court asked if any individual juror could not lay it aside, and no juror responded. Accordingly, the court proceeded with the rest of the trial. ¶ 14. The decision of whether to grant a mistrial lies within the sound discretion of the trial court, and the trial court's refusal to grant a mistrial is reviewable on appeal for abuse of discretion. Dora v. State, 986 So.2d 917, 921 (Miss. 2008). If the trial court determines that error occurred in the proceedings that substantially and irreparably prejudiced the defendant's case, the court must grant a mistrial. Harrell v. State, 947 So.2d 309, 316 (Miss.2007) (quoting Parks v. State, 930 So.2d 383, 386 (Miss.2006)). But [w]here `serious and irreparable damage' has not resulted, the judge should `admonish the jury then and there to disregard the improp[riety].' Carpenter v. State, 910 So.2d 528, 534 (Miss.2005) (quoting Roundtree v. State, 568 So.2d 1173, 1178 (Miss.1990)). On review, this Court affords the trial court considerable discretion, because the trial court was best positioned to evaluate the prejudicial effect. Harrell, 947 So.2d at 316 (quoting Parks, 930 So.2d at 386). ¶ 15. Clark argues that a mistrial was warranted, because the trial court's comments to Hailey had deprived Clark of a fair trial. Clark argues that the comments violated Canon Three of the Code of Judicial Conduct because they demonstrated that the trial judge was unfair and that he failed to conduct himself in an impartial manner. However, she cites no authority for her apparent position that this alleged violation of Canon Three warranted a mistrial. [2] The State counters that the jury was properly admonished to disregard the comments to Hailey, and a mistrial was not warranted, because nothing indicated the comments had caused a decision influenced by prejudice against Clark. As the State points out, the jury did not accept the entirety of Hailey's testimony, because it acquitted Kenneth of count one, and it was unable to reach a verdict on count two. ¶ 16. We find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by overruling Clark's motion for a mistrial. It is a well-settled rule in this State that a finding of mistrial is reserved for those instances where the trial court cannot take any action which would correct improper occurrences inside or outside the courtroom. Madere v. State, 794 So.2d 200, 214 (Miss. 2001). Where no serious and irreparable damage was engendered by an improper remark, a curative instruction is deemed sufficient to remove the taint from the minds of the jurors. Martin v. State, 854 So.2d 1004, 1009 (Miss.2003). Juries are presumed to follow the instructions given to them by the court. McGilberry v. State, 741 So.2d 894, 913 (Miss.1999). The trial court acknowledged that its comments might have been improper, and it gave a curative instruction (1) stating that the court's comments had not been intended as commentary on the believability of Hailey's testimony and (2) requiring the jury to disregard the comments. Thus, the trial court properly admonished the jury, and this Court presumes the jury followed the admonition. McGilberry, 741 So.2d at 913. There is no indication that the trial court's comments caused any serious or irreparable damage or resulted in a decision influenced by prejudice. Therefore, we find that the curative instruction removed any taint created by the trial court's comments to Hailey, and the trial court properly overruled Clark's motion for a mistrial.