Opinion ID: 623296
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Declare Mistrial

Text: Delgado also argues that her trial was rendered unfair by the testimony of the government’s case agent, Agent Spivey of ICE. On cross-examination, Delgado’s trial counsel inquired into the scope of the government’s investigation. Defense counsel first asked Spivey about the initial search of Delgado’s property on September 11, 2006, when the marijuana was discovered and seized. Counsel then began questioning Spivey about the government’s subsequent investigation, particularly the seizure of additional items from Delgado’s property a month later on October 11. After Spivey testified that these seized items yielded no useful evidence, the following exchange ensued: Q Did you all try to investigate [Delgado’s] income to see, you know, how much money she makes . . . or— A No, sir. Q Did you all investigate I believe it was TJ Trucking?20 20 This exchange occurred after the jury had already heard testimony that Delgado was the sole owner-operator of TJ Trucking. 22 Case: 07-41041 Document: 00511764680 Page: 23 Date Filed: 02/22/2012 No. 07-41041 A We had prior knowledge of TJ Trucking being involved in narcotics trafficking, yes. Defense counsel then moved to strike Spivey’s last response, and following a bench conference moved for a mistrial. The district court sustained the objection and thoroughly instructed the jury to disregard the statement.21 The district court concluded that the “prejudicial effect outweighs the probative value of that answer,” but he denied the defense’s motion for a mistrial because “[t]he question was asked by you [defense counsel]. I think it was fairly invited, that answer.” On appeal, Delgado argues that Spivey’s answer was inadmissable under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) as evidence of an extraneous offense. This argument is unconvincing. Spivey’s statement did not refer to an extraneous offense. Delgado was the sole owner and operator of TJ Trucking. Thus, Spivey’s statement that TJ Trucking was involved in drug trafficking merely restates that Delgado was involved, so the statement was simply evidence of the charged offense. Delgado contends that Spivey’s reference to “prior knowledge” indicates that he was commenting on a separate investigation of a previous offense. But this is hardly clear from the context. Spivey’s comment came during a line of questions regarding his subsequent investigation of Delgado a month after the initial search of her property. In that context, the statement that Spivey had “prior knowledge” of TJ Trucking’s involvement in drug trafficking likely referred to the fact that during the initial search, agents had found a large shipment of marijuana in TJ Trucking’s truck. Delgado responds that she and her trucking company were implicated in a separate investigation and that Spivey’s comment was based on his knowledge of that separate offense. Even if 21 “Members of the jury, I’m going to ask you to strike and disregard that last answer that was given. It’s to have no role in your deliberations whatsoever. You’re to pretend as though you didn’t hear that. Disregard it completely.” 23 Case: 07-41041 Document: 00511764680 Page: 24 Date Filed: 02/22/2012 No. 07-41041 Delgado’s interpretation of the testimony is correct, however, Spivey’s meaning would not have been appreciated by the jurors, who were unaware of the other investigation. The statement itself, without elaboration, gave no indication to the jury that it was about any crime other than those for which Delgado was being tried. Moreover, as the district court correctly concluded, Agent Spivey’s testimony was invited by defense counsel’s question. We agree with the prosecutor’s observation, made during the bench conference, that defense counsel “asked the question open-ended and did not know the answer, and that was the answer.”22 “The doctrine of invited error applies to this situation; when injection of inadmissible evidence is attributable to the actions of the defense, the defense cannot later object to such ‘invited error.’” United States v. Raymer, 876 F.2d 383, 388 (5th Cir. 1989); see also United States v. Lewis, 524 F.2d 991, 992 (5th Cir. 1975) (“A defendant cannot complain on appeal of alleged errors invited or induced by himself, particularly where, as here, it is not clear that the defendant was prejudiced thereby.”). Thus, Delgado could not prevail on her appeal even if the district court had admitted the contested testimony. But crucially, the district court upheld defense counsel’s objection, and gave a strong curative instruction to the jury, so Delgado cannot claim evidentiary error. Thus, Delgado’s only argument on appeal is that the district court abused its discretion in denying her motion for a mistrial. When denying a motion for a mistrial, the district court abuses its discretion, giving rise to reversible error, only “if the evidence, when viewed in the context of the whole trial, is so highly prejudicial that it would have had a 22 Defense counsel was aware that Delgado’s company was implicated in a separate drug-trafficking investigation, which was the subject of a pretrial motion in limine. If anything, this fact reinforces our conclusion that Spivey’s testimony was invited. Counsel should have been aware that he risked opening the door to a prejudicial answer, yet he posed a somewhat vague and open-ended question to a prosecution witness. 24 Case: 07-41041 Document: 00511764680 Page: 25 Date Filed: 02/22/2012 No. 07-41041 substantial impact on the jurors’ verdict.” United States v. Baresh, 790 F.2d 392, 402 (5th Cir. 1986). Spivey’s statement falls well short of the level of prejudice that would have necessitated a mistrial. As explained above, heard in context, his testimony did little more than repeat a fact of which the jury was already well aware: the government believed Delgado was involved in drug trafficking. Moreover, any prejudice was mitigated by the district court’s prompt and thorough curative instruction. See United States v. Kimble, 719 F.2d 1253, 1258 (5th Cir. 1983) (“We are satisfied that the error inherent was mitigated and rendered harmless by the trial judge’s prompt curative instruction.”). The district court obviously did not abuse its discretion in refusing to declare a mistrial. We therefore reject Delgado’s allegation of error.