Cole v. State
Cole v. State
Opinion
Kelvin Cole was indicted for robbery in the first degree and tried jointly with two codefendants. After conviction by a jury, he was sentenced as a habitual offender to life imprisonment. Two issues are raised on this appeal from that conviction.
During direct examination of Lt. Dale Nix, an investigator with the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, the following occurred:
"Q [By the District Attorney] So at some point in time did you obtain a photograph of Kelvin Cole?
"A I obtained a photograph from Florence P.D. of Kelvin Cole.
"Q Then did you have an opportunity to display a photo spread to [the victim] with a photograph of Kelvin Cole involved?
"A Yes, I did.
"Q I show you what's been marked for identification as Defendant's Exhibit 1 and ask you if you recognize that exhibit?
"A Yes, sir, that's the photo spread that I made up to present to [the victim].
"[Defense Counsel]: May we approach the bench?
"THE COURT: Yes.
"OUT OF THE HEARING OF THE JURY
"[Defense Counsel]: We move for a mistrial at this time based on the fact the police officer testified he obtained a photo of Kelvin Cole from the Florence Police Department, and we say this would cast serious questions in the jury's mind as to whether Mr. Cole had been convicted of prior offenses, or due to the fact that normally you wouldn't consider folks to have their pictures at the police department unless they had been in some trouble and this violates the exclusionary rule.
"THE COURT: I'm going to overrule the objection.
"[Defense Counsel]: We except, Your Honor."
The trial then resumed in the hearing of the jury.
Subject to certain exceptions, evidence that the defendant has committed criminal acts other than the offense for which he is being tried is not admissible. See generally C. Gamble,McElroy's Alabama Evidence, ยง 69.01 (3d ed. 1977). It is clear that none of the exceptions to this general rule is applicable in this case, and there is no contention otherwise by the State. Instead, the State argues that Cole failed to preserve this issue for review, as the answer complained of was given prior to any objection by Cole and, thus, the "question was asked and answered." The first question quoted above, however, was innocuous, in and of itself, calling only for a simple yes or no answer. There was no reason for Cole to object to thequestion. It is an unresponsive answer with which we are concerned. Lieutenant Nix's voluntary disclosure of where he obtained the photograph was unsolicited and unresponsive. *Page 1095
However, "[a] motion for mistrial should not be granted where the prejudicial qualities of the comment can be eradicated by action of the trial court." Henry v. State,
We recognize that some comments may be so prejudicial that eradication is not possible. See Stain v. State,
The unresponsive portion of Lt. Nix's answer regarding his obtaining photographs of Cole from the Florence P.D. (and from which one must infer prior criminal activity) is similar to a reference to a mug shot. Thus, under Garner v. State, Smiley v.State, and Farley v. State, supra, this portion of Lt. Nix's answer could have been stricken and the jury instructed to disregard it, so that any prejudice to Cole would have been eradicated. Cole, however, made no motion to strike or exclude; he moved only for a mistrial. "A motion for a mistrial does not include either a motion to strike out or exclude testimony as a lesser prayer for relief. Thomas v. Ware,
Moreover, a mistrial should be granted only when a "high degree of 'manifest *Page 1096
necessity' " is demonstrated, Wadsworth v. State,
While Lt. Nix's unresponsive comment was clearly uncalled for, there has been no showing of the "high degree of 'manifest necessity' " required for a mistrial. Consequently, we find no abuse of the trial court's discretion in the denial of Cole's motion for a mistrial.
The following occurred during the prosecutor's closing argument:
"[District Attorney]: I hope the defendants are glad he's alive today. I don't know that they are. I don't know if you noticed them during the trial โ
"[Defense Counsel for codefendant Ronnie Cole]: Judge, we object and move for a mistrial.
"OUT OF THE HEARING OF THE JURY
"[Defense Counsel for codefendant Thomas Petty]: We object to the closing argument, or commenting on the evidence, or reasonable inferences from the evidence. Whether there's any remorse, or the attitude of the defendants has nothing whatsoever to do with the guilt or innocence.
"[Defense Counsel for codefendant Ronnie Cole]: I would concur with the statement Mr. Beason gave on behalf of his client, Thomas Petty, and I would raise the same Motion for Mistrial and objections on behalf of my client, Ronnie Cole.
"[Defense Counsel]: I join in their objections on behalf of Kelvin Cole, Your Honor."
Back in the hearing of the jury, the trial court promptly and forcefully instructed the jury to disregard the prosecutor's remarks. He then said:
"I want to know if there are any of you who cannot disregard what has just been said by the District Attorney? Is there anyone who cannot put that out of your mind and completely and totally disregard that in your deliberation?
"No one answered.
"THE COURT: I see no reaction from the jury. I take it by your silence, then, that you're telling the court that you will disregard the last comments in your deliberations. You are so instructed, and I expect you by your silence to follow the court's instructions."
On appeal, Cole contends that the district attorney's remarks (1) amounted to an improper expression of the district attorney's personal opinion of the guilt of the three defendants; (2) were highly prejudicial in that they called attention to his absence from the trial;1 and (3) could be construed as a comment on his failure to testify. However, it is clear from the portion of the record set out above that, at trial, the objection to the prosecutor's comment was made only on the ground that it indicated a lack of remorse on the part of the defendants. "An objection on one ground waives all others. A defendant is bound by the grounds of objection he stated at trial and may not expand those *Page 1097
grounds on appeal." Davis v. State,
Moreover, the trial court sustained the objection, explicitly instructed the jury to disregard the comments, and questioned the jury to insure that these instructions could and would be followed. "There is a prima facie presumption against error where the trial judge immediately charges the jury to disregard improper remarks." Walker v. State,
The principles set forth in Part I above regarding mistrials also apply here. Any prejudice resulting from the prosecutor's remarks was capable of being eradicated and was eradicated by the trial court's prompt action. Cf. Espey v. State,
For the reasons stated above, the judgment of the Franklin Circuit Court is due to be, and it is hereby, affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Kelvin Cole v. State.
- Cited By
- 20 cases
- Status
- Published