Opinion ID: 611597
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mistrial Based on Witness' Giving Opinion on Guilt

Text: 25 All three defendants argue that the district court erred in not granting their mistrial motions based on Benson's testimony. Benson testified for the government at trial and stated that she was just as guilty as everyone else in this room. We review this issue for an abuse of discretion. United States v. Marsh, 894 F.2d 1035, 1040 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 1083, 110 S.Ct. 1143, 107 L.Ed.2d 1048 (1990). Such a nonconstitutional error only merits reversal if it was more 'probable than not' that it affected the verdict. United States v. Soulard, 730 F.2d 1292, 1296 (9th Cir.1984). 26 The district court gave a prompt limiting instruction during Benson's testimony and gave another curative instruction at the close of evidence. While Benson's testimony was inadmissible and improper, see United States v. Kinsey, 843 F.2d 383, 388 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 487 U.S. 1223, 108 S.Ct. 2882, 101 L.Ed.2d 916 (1988); Federal Rule of Evidence 704, the district court's timely and repeated efforts to cure were sufficient. See United States v. Smith, 790 F.2d 789, 793 (9th Cir.1986); United States v. Halbert, 640 F.2d 1000, 1004 (9th Cir.1981) (per curiam). Furthermore, the evidence against the defendants is substantial enough to insure that even if admission of Benson's testimony was error, the error was nonetheless harmless. See United States v. Baskin, 886 F.2d 383, 387-88 (D.C.Cir.1989), cert. denied, 494 U.S. 1089, 110 S.Ct. 1831, 108 L.Ed.2d 960 (1990); United States v. Kirkland, 637 F.2d 654, 656 (9th Cir.1980). 27