Opinion ID: 1242733
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Prosecutor's Alleged Misconduct

Text: Cheng assigns error to two rulings made by the trial court during the Commonwealth's rebuttal argument. Cheng contends that the trial court erred in allowing the Commonwealth to argue the content of a transcript of a tape recorded statement ruled inadmissible during the evidentiary portion of the trial. Cheng, however, neither requested a cautionary instruction nor moved for a mistrial. Cheng also claims that the trial court erred in overruling his objection to the Commonwealth's Attorney's actions in disassembling the sawed-off shotgun during rebuttal argument. Cheng again failed to request a cautionary instruction, and he waited until the jury had retired before moving for a mistrial. It is well-settled that errors assigned because of a prosecutor's alleged improper comments or conduct during argument will not be considered on appeal unless an accused timely moves for a cautionary instruction or for a mistrial. The motions must be made timely if the accused desires to take advantage of his objection on appeal. Jackson v. Commonwealth, 193 Va. 664, 674-75, 70 S.E.2d 322, 328 (1952). Accord Blount v. Commonwealth, 213 Va. 807, 811, 195 S.E.2d 693, 696 (1973); Price v. Commonwealth, 213 Va. 113, 121, 189 S.E.2d 324, 330 (1972); Hubbard v. Commonwealth, 190 Va. 917, 931, 59 S.E.2d 102, 109 (1950); Compton v. Commonwealth, 190 Va. 48, 57, 55 S.E.2d 446, 450 (1949). A motion for a mistrial is untimely and properly refused when it is made after the jury has retired. Price, 213 Va. at 121, 189 S.E.2d at 330; Russo v. Commonwealth, 207 Va. 251, 257, 148 S.E.2d 820, 825 (1966), cert. denied, 386 U.S. 909, 87 S.Ct. 855, 17 L.Ed.2d 782 (1967). In the present case, these alleged errors were not preserved at trial. Accordingly, we will not consider them on appeal.