Opinion ID: 414394
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: morris's motion for a mistrial

Text: 23 Morris's first witness was a police officer who had interviewed one of the government's witnesses, Charlene P. After cross-examination was interrupted for a lengthy sidebar conference with respect to the proper scope of questioning, the prosecutor asked the witness if Charlene had told him that Morris had beaten her. Defense counsel immediately objected, and moved for a mistrial. The objection was sustained, and any answer given (the record reveals none) was stricken; the motion for a mistrial was denied. 24 A motion for a mistrial is directed to the sound discretion of the district court. United States v. Sclamo, 578 F.2d 888, 891 (1st Cir.1978). Morris argues that the court abused its discretion in denying the motion because the question was designed to, and did, prejudice the jury, destroying the fairness of the trial. However, the line of questioning was halted as soon as it began. This was a single unanswered question, asked during a five-day trial, and the response to which might well have been admissible but for hearsay problems. 9 Most importantly, Charlene herself had already testified, without objection, that Morris had smacked me around. In these circumstances, the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying a mistrial. See United States v. Pappas, 611 F.2d 399, 406 (1st Cir.1979).