Opinion ID: 2595408
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: trial judge's comments

Text: ¶ 6 Parker first argues that the trial judge's comments during the jury voir dire were comments on the evidence that prejudiced the minds of the jurors against him. He also argues that the comments effectively discounted his self-defense argument, since the trial judge basically stated that Parker had no legitimate reason to possess a knife like the one he was carrying. In response, the State argues that, because Parker did not object to the trial judge's remark, Parker must now demonstrate that it amounted to plain error. We agree with the State. While the trial judge's comment was not proper, Parker failed to object and must show that the trial judge's remarks amounted to plain error. ¶ 7 To establish the existence of plain error and obtain relief from an alleged error that was not properly objected to, Parker must show the following: (i) an error exists; (ii) the error should have been obvious to the trial court; and (iii) the error is harmful, i.e., absent the error, there is a reasonable likelihood of a more favorable outcome for [Parker]. State v. Dunn, 850 P.2d 1201, 1208 (Utah 1993). Here, even if we assume that the trial judge's comments amounted to obvious error, Parker has not shown that he suffered any prejudice, nor has he shown that absent the error there is a reasonable likelihood that there would have been a more favorable result for him. ¶ 8 Rule 19(d) of the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure provides that the trial court shall not comment on the evidence in the case, and if the court refers to any of the evidence, it shall instruct the jury that they are the exclusive judges of all questions of fact. Consistent with rule 19(d), the trial court's instructions to the jury in this case included an admonition that the jury not be influenced by any statement which they may have interpreted as indicating the trial court's views on the evidence. See State v. Alonzo, 973 P.2d 975, 980 (Utah 1998) (finding no prejudice resulted from trial court comments on the evidence at trial in part because any perception of favoritism was cured by the trial court's subsequent instruction that the jurors were the ultimate fact finders). Therefore, any improper impressions created by the trial judge's comments were remedied by the jury instructions, and there was no prejudice to Parker.