Court Opinion

ID: 9849886
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:48:44.757106+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:27.847192
License: Public Domain

JON E WILCOX, J.
¶ 82. (dissenting). I dissent. In the words of the United States Supreme Court:
Unless unscrupulous defense counsel are to be allowed an unfair advantage, the trial judge must have the power to declare a mistrial in appropriate cases. The interest in orderly, impartial procedure would be impaired if he were deterred from exercising that power by a concern that any time a reviewing court disagreed with his assessment of the trial situation a retrial would automatically be barred.
Arizona v. Washington, 434 U.S. 497, 513 (1978). In Washington, the trial judge granted a mistrial after the jury was exposed to improper comments during defense counsel's opening statement. Id. at 499-501. When reviewing the trial judge's decision to grant a mistrial, the Court concluded: "[T]he overriding interest in the evenhanded administration of justice requires that we accord the highest degree of respect to the trial judge's evaluation of the likelihood that the impartiality of one or more jurors may have been affected by the improper comment." Id. at 511. Further, the Court warned of the serious consequences that would follow if "retrial of the *310defendant were barred whenever an appellate court views the 'necessity' for a mistrial differently from the trial judge[.]" Id. at 509-10.
¶ 83. Following the deferential standard of review set forth in Washington and the standard for manifest necessity, I would uphold the circuit court's order granting a mistrial as a proper exercise of discretion. Here, the main thrust of defense counsel's opening statement was that the victim was a liar and that the defendant would inform the jury as to what really happened the night in question. Defense counsel then went on to explain in great detail the defendant's version of events and relayed the testimony his client had provided in the previous trials. In addition, counsel informed the jury as to the details of the defendant's personal and family life. As the circuit court summarized: "It was a detailed statement of dope and out the door and the money and everything else." No other defense was presented during the opening statement. However, the defendant never testified, and no other witness substantiated the version of events presented during the opening statement. Further, defense counsel later admitted to the court that he was unsure if the defendant would take the stand at the time he made his opening remarks.
¶ 84. Thus, the defense was able to fully present its theory of the case to the jury without presenting any evidence to support that theory or subjecting the defendant to cross-examination. Regardless of whether defense counsel's opening statement was made in good faith, the fact remains that the defendant was able to present his entire theory of the case without actually introducing any evidence.
¶ 85. The circuit court considered these facts, the effect the opening statement may have had upon the *311jury, and the prosecution's ability to make an adequate closing statement in light of the defendant's refusal to testify. The circuit court considered the possibility of issuing a curative instruction and gave both parties an opportunity to present their positions. See State v. Williams, 2004 WI App 56, ¶¶ 29-31 & n.3, 270 Wis. 2d 761, 677 N.W.2d 691. The circuit court was cognizant of the prosecutor's inability to adequately counter the effects of defense counsel's opening statement during his closing, given the nature of the statement and the defendant's invocation of his Fifth Amendment rights. Therefore, the circuit court concluded that a manifest necessity justified a mistrial.
Defense counsel aired improper and highly prejudicial evidence before the jury, the possible impact of which the trial judge was in the best position to assess. The trial judge did not act precipitately in response to the prosecutor's request for a mistrial. On the contrary, evincing a concern for the possible double jeopardy consequences of an erroneous ruling, he gave both defense counsel and the prosecutor full opportunity to explain their positions on the propriety of a mistrial.
Washington, 434 U.S. at 514-16.
¶ 86. Despite the fact that the circuit court could have issued a curative instruction informing the jury that statements of counsel are not evidence, I would not second-guess the decision of the circuit court to not do so. Here, defense counsel did not simply allude to the testimony of a minor witness who never testified; he presented the entire defense theory of the case to the jury without actually presenting any evidence. A curative instruction may be appropriate in some cases to remedy the effects of an improper comment during opening statements. In this case, however, there is no possible way a curative instruction would have sufficed *312to remove the prejudice from the jury, given the nature and extensiveness of defense counsel's reference to the defendant's prior testimony and the prosecutor's inability to comment on the defendant's refusal to testify.
¶ 87. This case involves an allegation of a sexual assault of one man by another. Defense counsel informed the jury that the defendant was a family man with children and a stable job as a construction worker. He repeatedly referred to the testimony his client had previously provided. He discussed at length the defendant's version of the events the night in question. He discussed in detail how the defendant and victim allegedly met, as well as their subsequent activities, which included a sale of drugs at the defendant's apartment and a disagreement over money. Defense counsel instructed the jurors: "Remember, Rich says he pushes him out. He kicks him out of the building." Defense counsel repeatedly referred to the defendant's version of events as "the only story that's been consistent throughout this case." The only witness that was to substantiate this story was the defendant himself. Yet, the defendant never testified and, consequently, none of these supposed facts were ever presented to the jury.
¶ 88. While it may be possible to effectively inform a jury to disregard a minor statement or small piece of inappropriately admitted evidence, State v. Collier, 220 Wis. 2d 825, 838, 584 N.W.2d 689 (Ct. App. 1998), instructing a jury to ignore the entire opening statement of defense counsel when the defense never puts on a case in chief is like asking a person to not think of the proverbial pink elephant. As the circuit court explained, it was not sufficient to simply provide a curative instruction to the jury in this case because "[t]hey have a reasonable alternative in their minds now before them with no evidence."
*313¶ 89. When an appellate court reviews a circuit court decision to grant a mistrial, the circuit court's failure to consider a curative instruction is relevant only if such an instruction was available and practical. See id. at 837-38. Further, it is not the failure to provide a curative instruction that renders a mistrial an erroneous exercise of discretion; rather, it is the circuit court's failure to give reasoned consideration to the possibility of a curative instruction. Williams, 270 Wis. 2d 761, ¶ 31 n.3.
¶ 90. If the facts of record reflect the uncertain utility and effectiveness of a curative instruction, this court has all the more reason to defer to the circuit court's ultimate decision on whether to grant a mistrial:
[The trial judge] is the judge most familiar with the evidence and the background of the case on trial. He [or she] has listened to the tone of the argument as it was delivered and has observed the apparent reaction of the jurors. In short, he [or she] is far more "conversant with the factors relevant to the determination" than any reviewing court can possibly be.
Id., ¶ 27 (quoting Washington, 434 U.S. at 514) (first alteration added).
¶ 91. Moreover, I disagree with the majority's assertion that "[t]he circuit court erred as a matter of law in the instant case by concluding that the prosecuting attorney could not effectively countermand defense counsel's opening statement." Majority op., ¶ 77. The majority suggests that the prosecuting attorney had some leeway in commenting on the defendant's refusal to testify in light of defense counsel's opening statement and that the ability of the prosecutor to so comment is not susceptible to bright line rules. Majority op., ¶ 74. However, I doubt that the State would receive the benefit of such latitude and uncertainty had it in fact *314chosen that course and the case was before the court on that very issue. See majority op., ¶ 77 n.47 ("The State argues that with a curative instruction the State risked a reversal for violation of the defendant's Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. Perhaps, but a reversal would enable the State to bring yet another prosecution."). Therefore, I would affirm the circuit court's decision to grant a mistrial in this case.
¶ 92. Finally, I wish to express my concern that the majority opinion opens the door to gamesmanship by unscrupulous and savvy defendants who, after assuring their counsel that they will testify, invoke their Fifth Amendment rights following counsel's full presentation of their version of events to the jury. This court should not condone such sandbagging tactics. As the circuit court aptly stated, if defense counsel is unsure that his client is willing to testify at the time of opening statement, then he should wait until the end of the State's case to make his opening statement.
¶ 93. I am authorized to state that Justice DAVID T. PROSSER joins this opinion.