Opinion ID: 2248048
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Offer of Mistrial

Text: Initially, the State responds that defendant has abandoned this issue by electing to refuse the court's offer of a mistrial. We have reviewed the record in search of the court's offer. The record reveals that the court, on one occasion, advised defense counsel that the court would consider a motion for mistrial, if defense counsel chose to present one. On another occasion, the State inquired as to defense counsel's intention to file such a motion. Defense counsel responded that he needed to consider all of the options. It is apparent that defense counsel never moved the court for a mistrial. We know of no rule, and the State has not directed us to one, which prescribes that the failure to move for a mistrial will result in the waiver of claimed trial errors on appeal. (But see People v. Keagle (1955), 7 Ill.2d 408, 131 N.E.2d 74 (where trial court's offer to declare mistrial was made and rejected by defendant, defendant could not claim as error that the trial court refused to grant mistrial); see also People v. Greer (1964), 30 Ill.2d 415, 418, 197 N.E.2d 22 (where defendant's motion for mistrial was allowed and subsequently withdrawn, defendant was not in position to allege failure on part of trial court to declare mistrial).) Accordingly, we reject the State's abandonment argument.