Opinion ID: 1326554
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Refusal of The Trial Court to Declare a Mistrial When the Commonwealth's Attorney Asked an Improper Question.

Text: The Commonwealth's Attorney questioned Lieutenant Rouse about Lecil Ray McGlocklin, who owned a tool box and mechanic's tools found in the Baumgardner garage. Without objection, Rouse was asked whether McGlocklin had been arrested, whether the tools had been found, and whether McGlocklin had been charged. After Rouse had answered each of these questions in the affirmative, he was asked whether McGlocklin had been convicted. Before the officer could answer, Black's counsel objected, the court sustained the objection, Black's counsel moved for a mistrial, and the court overruled the motion but directed the jury to disregard that last statement. Black contends that the court erred in overruling his motion for a mistrial. We disagree. Lieutenant Rouse never answered the question to which Black objected. The trial judge promptly acted to eliminate any prejudice from the minds of the jury. Not only did he orally direct the jury to disregard what had been said but he also gave Instruction D, tendered by Black, directing the jury not to consider any matter that was rejected or stricken by the court. We follow the general rule that error arising from an improper question or improper conduct of counsel may usually be cured by prompt and decisive action of the trial court without granting a motion for a mistrial. Lewis v. Commonwealth, 211 Va. 80, 82, 175 S.E.2d 236, 238 (1970); see Smith v. Commonwealth, 213 Va. 781, 785, 195 S.E.2d 845, 848 (1973). As in Lewis, 211 Va. at 84, 175 S.E.2d at 239, we have no reason to conclude that the jury in the present case failed to obey the court's curative instructions. For the foregoing reasons, we will affirm the judgment of the trial court. Affirmed.