State v. Pollitt

In State v. Pollitt, 205 Conn. 61, 530 A.2d 155 (1987), the Court held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it precluded defense counsel from asking prospective jurors whether there was such a thing as a mistaken identification. Id., at 74. In that case, the trial court permitted counsel to inquire: "Would you automatically believe every witness who testified? Do you think . . . that a person who takes an oath can be honestly mistaken about what they're testifying about?" Id. The Supreme Court held that the court properly attempted to strike a balance between a party's right to ask questions regarding credibility while avoiding issues of fact or law that may have arisen during the trial. Id., at 75.