Court Opinion

ID: 9610319
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 03:39:40.470161+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:47:11.607194
License: Public Domain

Deen, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
The majority opinion does much in quoting from other cases, but it fails to face the facts in this particular case. The most crucial fact here is that, contrary to the majority opinion’s conclusion that “the *238trial court did not abuse its sound discretion by granting the State’s motion for a mistrial,” the trial court apparently exercised no discretion at all in declaring a mistrial over the objection of the defendant. No manifest necessity existed for declaring mistrial, and the defendant’s plea of former jeopardy was meritorious. I must respectfully dissent.
Near the conclusion of the trial, defense counsel asked the defendant whether he had ever taken a polygraph examination, to which the defendant responded, “No, not for the State of Georgia.” Since no stipulation as to the admissibility of polygraph results had been entered by the State and the defendant, it was an inappropriate question, and a curative instruction to the jury no doubt would have been in order, as well as a warning to defense counsel not to refer to the matter again. The prosecutor, however, moved for mistrial, inaccurately maintaining that had the State made such an inquiry, a mistrial would have been automatic. That simply is not the law. See Williams v. State, 251 Ga. 749, 803 (15) (312 SE2d 40) (1983). Where an improper reference to a lie detector test is made, the decision whether to grant a mistrial is within the sound discretion of the trial court. Id. The defense counsel promised not to refer to the matter again, and asked the court to give a curative instruction; however, in exercising its “sound” discretion, the trial court doubted the efficacy of such an instruction and chose to declare a mistrial.
The majority opinion attempts to demonstrate the soundness of the trial court’s decision by explaining just how corruptive the question and answer were in this case: “Thus, in violation of the rules of evidence and contrary to the true state of facts, the question and appellant’s answer thereto intimated that, although the State had not undertaken to conduct its own test, there did exist a private polygraph test, the results of which were exculpatory of appellant.” I cannot share in that suppositive and exaggerated meaning attached by the majority opinion to the question and answer. Moreover, I fail to see how the particular question and answer in this case could have so tainted the mind of any rational trier of fact to the extent that a curative instruction from the trial court would have been ineffective.
Contrary to the majority opinion’s supposition, the defendant’s answer, in the first place, did not indicate that he had taken a private polygraph, and secondly, certainly did not intimate that a private polygraph was exculpatory. “ ‘[N]othing of substance was mentioned, including whether the test was passed or failed or whether indeed one was given.’ ” Merrell v. State, 162 Ga. App. 886, 888 (293 SE2d 474) (1982). In reviewing references to polygraph examinations apparently more improper than the one in the instant case, both the Supreme Court and this court have found the impropriety cured by instruction to the jury. Evans v. State, 256 Ga. 10 (342 SE2d 684) (1986); Wil*239liams v. State, supra; Snell v. State, 160 Ga. App. 74 (286 SE2d 52) (1981); Rollins v. State, 154 Ga. App. 585 (269 SE2d 81) (1980).
Decided May 11, 1988
Rehearing denied May 25, 1988
George C. Oetter, Jr., for appellant.
Joseph H. Briley, District Attorney, Fredric D. Bright, Assistant District Attorney, for appellee.
In the instant case, the curability of the improper reference to a polygraph, i.e., by appropriate instruction to the jury, demonstrates the absence of any manifest necessity to declare a mistrial over the objection of the defendant. The defendant’s first trial having thus been improperly terminated after the jury was impaneled and sworn, a second prosecution is barred. OCGA § 16-1-8 (a).