Opinion ID: 463821
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Cryer's Allegedly Unduly Prejudicial Testimony

Text: 56 Dena Cryer testified that she accompanied Creamer's wife to visit Creamer while he was in jail. Creamer instructed his wife to tell Hart and Isaacs that he needed help. When asked her reaction to Creamer's request, Cryer testified: 57 I told Jimmy he was crazy, that he shouldn't put that girl, you know, he shouldn't put her out front by sending her to see people and let the people know she knew their business. I felt like it might be endangering her life. 58 Cryer further testified that she also declined Creamer's request to approach Hart. 59 Both Isaacs and Hart objected to Cryer's testimony and moved for a mistrial on the ground that the testimony was irrelevant and highly prejudicial. The district court denied the motions for mistrial. Isaacs then requested a curative instruction, to which the government did not object. Concerned that a curative instruction would highlight the matter, the district court declined to instruct the jury to disregard Cryer's statement. 60 Hart argues on appeal that the district court abused its discretion in denying his motion for a mistrial. Hart did not join in Isaacs's request for a curative instruction. Nevertheless, he contends that the district court should have given such an instruction. 61 Prejudicial testimony will not mandate a mistrial when there is other significant evidence of guilt which reduces the likelihood that the otherwise improper testimony had a substantial impact upon the verdict of the jury. United States v. Rodriguez-Arevalo, 734 F.2d 612, 615-16 (11th Cir.1984) (citations omitted). We assume for the purposes of argument that Cryer's testimony was prejudicial, but conclude that the evidence of Hart's guilt was so overwhelming that Cryer's testimony had little, if any, impact upon the jury. Substantial independent evidence established that Hart played the key role of Isaacs's representative and was charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the Starcastle Club was put out of business. 62 Furthermore, the potential for a curative instruction over emphasizing Cryer's testimony was a proper matter for the district court to consider. The district court did not abuse its discretion in declining to instruct the jury to disregard Cryer's testimony or in declining Hart's motion for a mistrial. Rodriguez-Arevalo, 734 F.2d at 615.