Opinion ID: 1328530
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Security Provisions in Courtroom

Text: Appellant argues the trial judge erred in refusing to grant a mistrial when a police officer testified during the sentencing phase about security posted in the courtroom during trial. This issue is unpreserved because Appellant did not make a contemporaneous objection; the objection was made at the close of direct examination. The grounds for the objection were not made until several witnesses later, during the routine court recess. State v. Black, ___ S.C. ___, 462 S.E.2d 311 (Ct.App.1995) (contemporaneous objection required to preserve error for review); State v. Moultrie, 316 S.C. 547, 451 S.E.2d 34, 39 (Ct.App.1994) (failure to contemporaneously object to introduction of evidence cannot later be bootstrapped by a motion for a mistrial.) (citations omitted). In any event, this testimony did not prejudice Appellant. When a courtroom arrangement is challenged as inherently prejudicial, the question is whether there is an unacceptable risk . . . of impermissible factors coming into play. Holbrook v. Flynn, 475 U.S. 560, 570, 106 S.Ct. 1340, 1346-47, 89 L.Ed.2d 525, 535 (1986). Appellant argues this testimony made it seem he was more dangerous than ever imagined and impinged on his right to a trial based on the evidence and not on suspicions regarding continued custody. [7] However, there had already been so much testimony about Appellant's dangerousness (his escapes from prison, hiding keys and razor blades in his cell, attacking prison guards) and violent nature (prior criminal record including rapes, burglaries and murder), as well as testimony elicited from the defense regarding the high security Appellant was under, we fail to see how this testimony prejudiced him. Furthermore, because the defense brought out the information that Appellant was on death row for another murder, in addition to the fact that Appellant had already been found guilty of the current charges (this testimony occurred during sentencing), the jury could have had no suspicion about Appellant's continued custody; it was a certainty. Therefore, the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in refusing to grant a mistrial. See State v. Wasson, 299 S.C. 508, 386 S.E.2d 255 (1989) (decision of whether or not to grant a mistrial is discretionary with trial judge and should not be disturbed absent an abuse of that discretion).