Court Opinion

ID: 9667832
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 01:56:06.375176+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:41.141045
License: Public Domain

M. J. Kelly, J.
(dissenting). The jury in this case in the course of the trial was taken out to view the premises and had ample opportunity to place the property in context with the abutting property and the more expensive property on Center Road and on West Michigan Avenue. I agree with the majority that the remarks in question were prejudicial, however I disagree that reversal is warranted. The offending remarks are brief and do not constitute a *318theme calculated to persuade the jury to place its own interests in advance of its oath or indeed in contravention to the detailed instructions delivered by the court at the conclusion of argument.
The determinative point in my mind is that the error could easily have been cured. If defendant-appellant had been represented by counsel I do not believe that the argument presented here would receive such a sympathetic ear. I am disinclined to favor the appellant because of his in propria persona status over the posture that would have been presented here, had both sides been represented by competent counsel.
I favor leaving to the trial judge the decision as to whether or not interruption should be made in in pro per cases to balance the impact where an attorney would appear to attempt to take unfair advantage over an unrepresented litigant. I would affirm on the basis that no objection to the argument having been made at trial, the issue is not preserved for review, and the trial court correctly covered the elements of damage in its instructions to the jury.