Card #69: Religion testimony stricken · mistrial denied
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The court rejected a mistrial but ruled the witness's religion discussion inappropriate, immaterial, and irrelevant and ordered jurors to disregard it.
[ALLEGATION] Defense counsel characterized Heilbrun's reference to Catholic teaching and mortal sin as intentional prosecutorial misconduct and moved for a mistrial. The prosecutor said she had not sought the religion response. [VERIFIED FACT] Judge Sullivan denied the mistrial, directed the prosecution to prevent further religion commentary, and instructed jurors that the defendant's religious upbringing and the witness's understanding of Catholic teaching were inappropriate, immaterial, irrelevant, stricken, and not to be considered. The excluded testimony is not evidence and is not used elsewhere in the archive as proof of mental state or criminal responsibility.
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Topic: Unresolved Questions. Comments: 0.