State v. Herrin, 213 N.C. App. 68 (Jun. 21, 2011)

The trial court did not commit prejudicial error in violation of G.S. 15A-1222 (judge may not express an opinion) by laughing in the presence of the jury upon hearing a witness’s testimony that defendant “ran like a bitch all the way, way down past his house.” The court concluded that “[a]lthough the judge’s outburst may have been ill-advised and did not exemplify an undisturbed atmosphere of judicial calm” (quotation omitted) any resulting error was harmless.