State v. Watts

THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD
NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY
PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals

The State, Respondent,

v.
Taurus Watts, Appellant.

__________

Appeal From Richland County
J. Michelle Childs, Circuit Court Judge
__________

Unpublished Opinion No. 2012-UP-381
Submitted June 1, 2012 – Filed June 20, 2012
__________

AFFIRMED
__________

Appellate Defender Kathrine H. Hudgins, of
Columbia, for Appellant.

Attorney General Alan Wilson, Chief Deputy
Attorney General John W. McIntosh, Assistant
Deputy Attorney General Donald Zelenka, Assistant
Attorney General Alphonso Simon, Jr., all of
Columbia; and Solicitor Daniel E. Johnson, of
Columbia, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM: Taurus Watts appeals his conviction of murder,
arguing the trial court erred in refusing to declare a mistrial when (1) the
State asked a witness if she was scared to talk to police because she was
afraid her cooperation was going to get her killed, and (2) another witness
testified he saw Watts's co-defendant in the "holding tank" the same day he
saw Watts. We affirm1 pursuant to Rule 220(b)(1), SCACR, and the
following authorities: State v. White, 371 S.C. 439, 445, 639 S.E.2d 160, 163
(Ct. App. 2006) ("Generally, a curative instruction is deemed to have cured
any alleged error."); State v. Wilson, 389 S.C. 579, 585-86, 698 S.E.2d 862,
865 (Ct. App. 2010) (holding a mistrial should be granted only when
absolutely necessary and should only result when the defendant can show
both error and resulting prejudice).

AFFIRMED.

WILLIAMS, THOMAS, and LOCKEMY, JJ., concur.

1
We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to Rule 215, SCACR.