Court Opinion

ID: 9638854
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 15:56:26.401054+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:10.258772
License: Public Domain

John I. Purtle, Justice, concurring. I concur in the result but wish to point out a nonprejudicial error by the trial court which the majority fails to discuss. Appellant’s counsel was proceeding to argue lack of evidence when the state objected on grounds he was trying to árgue facts in a separate case which had been severed by agreement of the parties. I see nothing wrong with the argument because I see it as relating to the charge then being tried. The court may have correctly determined counsel was leading into improper argument but it was wrong to state to defense counsel, “If you proceed and you move for a mistrial, that’s going to be in contempt of court. You know what the evidence is . . . well, from here on'out, you’re at your own peril.” Such threat no doubt tended to chill defense counsel’s action and could possibly have reduced his effectiveness. No prejudice was actually shown in this case. Hays and Hollingsworth, JJ., join in this concurrence.