Opinion ID: 599224
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Oxford's Closing Statement

Text: 52 Drexel and Masco argue that the closing statement of Oxford's counsel was permeated with prejudicial and improper statements of such quality and quantity that we must order a new trial. No objection was made to any of the statements that Drexel and Masco now claim were prejudicial. Our general rule is that a timely objection is necessary to bring to the district court's attention errors in counsel's arguments. Woods v. Burlington Northern R.R. Co., 768 F.2d 1287, 1292 (11th Cir.1985) (per curiam), rev'd on other grounds, 480 U.S. 1, 107 S.Ct. 967, 94 L.Ed.2d 1 (1987). When no objections are raised, we review the arguments for plain error, but a finding of plain error is seldom justified in reviewing argument of counsel in a civil case. Id. Nevertheless, when the interests of substantial justice are at stake, we may order a new trial. McWhorter v. City of Birmingham, 906 F.2d 674, 677 (11th Cir.1990) (per curiam) (counsel argued theory in closing that the district court had specifically prohibited in granting a motion in limine and referred to an exhibit that was not on the parties' pretrial exhibit list). The philosophy underlying this rule was well stated in Woods. 53 Requiring timely objection prohibits counsel from sandbagging the court by remaining silent and then, if the result is unsatisfactory, claiming error. Second, there are a number of good reasons why skilled trial counsel may make a tactical decision not to object to improper argument: (1) an argument that looks highly improper in a cold record may strike counsel as being wholly lacking in effect; (2) because of the 'chemistry' of the courtroom counsel may think that the improper argument may offend and in effect backfire; and (3) the improper argument may open the door to a response that will be of more value than a sustained objection. 54 768 F.2d at 1292 (citations omitted). 55 Drexel and Masco argue that the errors present in the closing statement of Oxford's counsel included statements for which there was no supporting evidence, outright misstatements of the evidence, expressions of counsel's personal opinions, comments on counsel's own involvement with Oxford and Oxford's witnesses, appeals to local prejudice against out-of-state corporations, and improper references to loss of jobs and taxes. 56 At a post-trial hearing, the district court was informed that Drexel and Masco were arguing on appeal that the verdicts against them should be overturned because of the prejudicial nature of the closing argument of Oxford's counsel. The district court stated, [t]hat certainly is not the most inflammatory argument I ever heard by any means. It is nowhere close. I think it was curable. There wasn't any effort made to get me to cure it. R9-21. 57 We agree with the district court. After reviewing Drexel's and Masco's claims and the closing argument of Oxford's counsel, we find that the arguments do not rise to the level of plain error. We find support in our decision in the fact that Drexel and Masco, while now claiming severe prejudice because of the argument, made no attempt to object to the arguments when they were made.