Opinion ID: 1653372
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Limitations on Expert Testimony

Text: The defendant alleges that the trial judge abused his discretion by restricting the testimony of defense witness Dr. Eric Engum. Engum, a clinical psychologist, testified during the guilt phase of the trial in support of the defendant's insanity theory and therefore touched on the defendant's mental retardation. During the state's cross-examination, the trial court admonished Engum on three occasions to respond to the questions without volunteering additional testimony. When the defense objected to the second admonition, requesting that Engum be allowed to explain his responses to the prosecutor's questions, the trial judge responded: He can explain if he needs to explain, but I don't want all of this in the record. This jury doesn't need to hear this. Proceed. In making yet another admonition, the trial judge said, Doctor, this is the third time. I've warned you. I will not warn you one more time without some action. The trial court must be given reasonable latitude in controlling the course of the trial. Cordell v. Ward School Bus Mfg. Inc., 597 S.W.2d 323 (Tenn. App. 1980). Having reviewed the entire record of this case, we cannot say that the trial judge abused his discretion in the manner in which he directed the course of Engum's testimony. If the trial judge did not consistently maintain a tone of patient impartiality toward a particular witness, as the defense maintains, that fact would be regrettable, of course. But it might not be subject to adequate review on appeal, simply because of the limitations of a written record. In any event, we cannot say, as the defense would have us conclude, that the trial court's demeanor in this case adversely affected the credibility of the witness. Dr. Engum's credibility was more likely affected by his total lack of prior experience as a courtroom witness than by the trial court's comments on his testimony.