Opinion ID: 1316643
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reference to Sister Care

Text: Bonnie Malasky testified about Vickie's whereabouts on June 8, 1994, at 6:30 p.m. Malasky was with Vickie when Vickie delivered the children to appellant that night. Anderson had testified he and appellant had attempted to murder Vickie on that night but they did not go through with the plan. Malasky testified that Vickie was at Sister Care between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. on June 8th. Appellant objected and a sidebar was held. The trial judge overruled the objection. Later, on the record, appellant noted his objection and moved for a mistrial on the ground that the reference to Sister Care had injected a prejudicial issue, spousal abuse, into the case. Appellant contends the trial judge erred in denying his motion for a mistrial. We disagree. Here, whether the reference to Sister Care implied appellant beat his wife is too speculative. Vickie could have been a volunteer at Sister Care or visiting a worker or friend who was there. See State v. Robinson, 305 S.C. 469, 409 S.E.2d 404 (1991) (no error in trial judge's denial of mistrial motion when witness's testimony did not imply appellant was involved in drug dealing merely because he knew appellant during time witness was dealing drugs). See also State v. Robinson, 238 S.C. 140, 119 S.E.2d 671 (1961) (statement of witness that appellant told him that he was on way to probation office did not tend to create inference that accused had committed another crime); State v. Bullock, 235 S.C. 356, 111 S.E.2d 657 (1959) (in murder prosecution, admission of testimony by physician that when he examined body of deceased she was without underwear and there was discharge from her vagina was not error because such testimony did not tend to create inference that accused had raped deceased). Here, in context of Malasky's testimony, the reference to Sister Care did not necessarily imply Vickie was a battered wife. The decision to grant or deny a mistrial is within the sound discretion of the trial judge and will not be overturned on appeal absent an abuse of discretion. State v. Crim, 327 S.C. 254, 489 S.E.2d 478 (1997); State v. Dawkins, 297 S.C. 386, 377 S.E.2d 298 (1989). The granting of a motion for a mistrial is an extreme measure which should be taken only where an incident is so grievous that prejudicial effect can be removed in no other way. State v. Kelsey, 331 S.C. 50, 502 S.E .2d 63 (1998). We find no error in the denial of appellant's mistrial motion.