Case Title: Lamb v. Alabama

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1091668

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2011-10-28T00:00:00Z

Document:
REL 10/28/2011 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance 
s h e e t s o f Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2011-2012 
1091668 
Ex p a r t e James Beauford Lamb, 
J r . 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
( I n r e : 
James Beauford Lamb, 
J r . 
v. 
S t a t e o f Alabama) 
( T a l l a p o o s a C i r c u i t Court, CC-03-0125.60; 
Court of C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-08-1682) 
PER CURIAM. 
1091668 
James B e a u f o r d Lamb, J r . , f i l e d 
a p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t 
o f 
c e r t i o r a r i 
a s k i n g t h i s C o u r t t o r e v i e w t h e 
C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' a f f i r m a n c e o f t h e T a l l a p o o s a C i r c u i t C o u r t ' s summary 
d i s m i s s a l 
o f 
h i s 
R u l e 
32, 
A l a . 
R. 
C r i m . 
P., 
p e t i t i o n 
c h a l l e n g i n g 
h i s 2 0 0 4 c o n v i c t i o n 
f o r f i r s t - d e g r e e 
s e x u a l a b u s e 
and 
h i s s e n t e n c e 
o f 
10 
y e a r s 
i n p r i s o n . 
See 
Lamb v. 
S t a t e , 
[Ms. 
CR-08-1 682, 
J u n e 
25, 
2010] 
So. 
3d 
( A l a . 
C r i m . 
App. 
2 0 1 0 ) . 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
Lamb's 
p e t i t i o n 
t o 
d e c i d e 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
i s s u e : W h e t h e r t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t e r r e d 
i n e n t e r i n g 
a 
j u d g m e n t b a s e d 
on 
an amended w r i t t e n 
j u r y 
v e r d i c t 
r e s u l t i n g 
f r o m t h e 
f a c t t h a t 
t h e p o l l i n g o f t h e j u r y r e f l e c t e d a 
v e r d i c t 
d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e 
o r i g i n a l w r i t t e n 
j u r y v e r d i c t 
and 
a r r i v e d 
a t a f t e r c o n f e r r i n g 
w i t h s e v e n members o f t h e d i s c h a r g e d j u r y , 
who 
had 
l e f t 
t h e 
p r e s e n c e 
and 
c o n t r o l 
o f 
t h e 
c o u r t 
and 
were 
r e c a l l e d . Lamb c o n t e n d s 
t h a t 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
a f f i r m a n c e 
c o n f l i c t s w i t h 
Hayes v. 
S t a t e , 
44 
A l a . 
App. 
499, 
214 
So. 
2d 708 
( 1 9 6 8 ) , w h i c h h e l d 
t h a t once t h e 
j u r y has 
b e e n 
d i s c h a r g e d 
and 
has 
l e f t 
t h e 
c o u r t ' s 
c o n t r o l , 
t h e 
j u r y 
c o u l d 
n o t p r o p e r l y 
be resummoned t o c o r r e c t 
o r amend an i n s u f f i c i e n t 
v e r d i c t 
and 
t h a t 
t h e j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d on 
t h e amended 
v e r d i c t 
2 
1091668 
o f t h a t r e c a l l e d j u r y must be r e v e r s e d . B e c a u s e we h o l d 
t h a t 
a c o n f l i c t does e x i s t a n d t h a t t h e r u l e i n 
Hayes does a p p l y t o 
t h i s 
c a s e , we r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s . 
F a c t s a n d P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
Lamb was c h a r g e d i n 
a f o u r - c o u n t 
i n d i c t m e n t a n d h i s c a s e 
t r i e d b e f o r e a j u r y .
1 
"When t h e j u r y r e t u r n e d 
i t s v e r d i c t s , t h e j u r y 
f o r e m a n 
o r a l l y a n n o u n c e d 
g u i l t y 
v e r d i c t s on c o u n t s 
I , 
I I , a n d I I I . When t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t a s k e d f o r 
a 
v e r d i c t on c o u n t I V , t h e f o r e m a n s t a t e d t h a t he h a d 
s i g n e d t h e w r o n g d e s i g n a t i o n on t h i s 
v e r d i c t f o r m . 
The 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
i n s t r u c t e d t h e j u r y t o r e t u r n t o 
t h e j u r y room t o c o r r e c t 
t h i s 
e r r o r . When t h e j u r y 
r e t u r n e d , 
t h e 
f o r e m a n 
o r a l l y 
a n n o u n c e d 
a 
' n o t - g u i l t y ' v e r d i c t on c o u n t I V . " 
Lamb v . S t a t e , 
So. 3d a t 
( f o o t n o t e s 
o m i t t e d ) . The 
c o u r t t h e n p r o c e e d e d t o p o l l t h e 
j u r y f o r 
t h e r e c o r d as t o i t s 
v e r d i c t on t h e t h r e e c o u n t s on w h i c h i t h a d f o u n d Lamb g u i l t y . 
The 
c o u r t p o l l e d e a c h j u r o r o n l y once as t o a l l t h r e e 
c o u n t s 
r a t h e r t h a n c o u n t b y c o u n t . 
A f t e r p o l l i n g t h e 
j u r y , t h e c o u r t 
d i s c h a r g e d t h e j u r y , a n d t h e j u r o r s l e f t t h e c o u r t r o o m . 
'Lamb was c h a r g e d 
w i t h 
f i r s t - d e g r e e r a p e , 
f i r s t - d e g r e e 
s e x u a l a b u s e , a n d i n c e s t w i t h r e g a r d t o one v i c t i m 
( c o u n t s I , 
I I , a n d I I I ) a n d w i t h s e c o n d - d e g r e e s e x u a l a b u s e as t o a n o t h e r 
v i c t i m 
( c o u n t 
I V ) . 
O n l y 
i s s u e s 
r e l a t i n g t o c o u n t I I -- t h e 
f i r s t - d e g r e e - s e x u a l - a b u s e 
c o n v i c t i o n -- a r e b e f o r e u s . 
3 
1091668 
"When t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
p r o c e e d e d t o 
f o r m a l l y 
a d j u d i c a t e 
g u i l t , i t n o t i c e d 
t h a t t h e v e r d i c t 
f o r m 
f o r 
c o u n t I I -- t h e f i r s t - d e g r e e 
s e x u a l 
a b u s e o f 
J.M. -- was 
s i g n e d 
by t h e j u r y 
f o r e m a n 
as ' n o t 
g u i l t y ' -- as o p p o s e d t o what t h e f o r e m a n h a d o r a l l y 
a n n o u n c e d i n open c o u r t -- 
' g u i l t y . ' 
"The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
r e a s s e m b l e d t h e j u r y b u t was 
a b l e t o l o c a t e o n l y 7 o f t h e 12 members, one o f whom 
was t h e f o r e m a n . The c i r c u i t c o u r t 
a s k e d t h e s e v e n 
j u r o r s t o c o r r e c t t h e v e r d i c t f o r c o u n t I I o f t h e 
i n d i c t m e n t . 
A f t e r 
some 
d i s c u s s i o n , 
t h e 
f o r e m a n 
i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e j u r y ' s v e r d i c t s were g u i l t y as t o 
c o u n t s I , I I , 
and I I I , and n o t g u i l t y as t o C o u n t 
IV. A t t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
d i r e c t i o n , 
t h e f o r e m a n 
c h a n g e d 
t h e v e r d i c t 
f o r m 
f o r c o u n t 
I I t o 
r e a d 
' g u i l t y . ' " 
Lamb, 
So. 3d a t 
( c i t a t i o n t o r e c o r d 
o m i t t e d ) . 
T h i s C o u r t g r a n t e d c e r t i o r a r i r e v i e w t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n d i s m i s s i n g Lamb's R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n 
c h a l l e n g i n g 
h i s c o n v i c t i o n , 
e n t e r e d on an amended 
w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t 
n e c e s s i t a t e d by a c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n a p o l l e d 
v e r d i c t 
and t h e o r i g i n a l 
w r i t t e n v e r d i c t and a r r i v e d a t b y t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a f t e r c o n f e r r i n g 
w i t h 
s e v e n members o f t h e d i s c h a r g e d 
j u r y . 
As t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t was f o r m a l l y 
a d j u d i c a t i n g 
g u i l t f o r 
e a c h o f what i t 
u n d e r s t o o d t o be t h e t h r e e 
g u i l t y c o u n t s , t h e 
c o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
" A l l 
r i g h t . 
As t o c o u n t two -- 
w e l l , 
i t was my 
u n d e r s t a n d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e y a n n o u n c e d 
g u i l t y 
on 
c o u n t 
4 
1091668 
two. I t h o u g h t I saw t h i s i n h e r e . I t h o u g h t I saw 
i t . 
T h e y ' v e g o t a n o t g u i l t y 
s i g n e d i n c o u n t t w o , 
and t h e y ' v e g o t — 
a n d t h e n t h e y c h a n g e d t h e one 
i n 
c o u n t f o u r . T h i s was n o t — 
t h e y s i g n e d i t . We 
w i l l 
go o n . " 
Upon c o m p l e t i n g t h e a d j u d i c a t i o n , t h e c o u r t a s s e m b l e d 
s e v e n 
members o f t h e d i s c h a r g e d j u r y , as many members o f t h e j u r y as 
c o u l d be f o u n d r e m a i n i n g i n 
t h e c o u r t h o u s e ; one o f t h o s e s e v e n 
was 
t h e j u r y 
f o r e m a n . 
The c o u r t t h e n 
i n q u i r e d o f t h e j u r y 
f o r e m a n : 
"THE COURT: L e t me j u s t a s k f o r c l a r i f i c a t i o n . 
Y o u ' r e 
t h e f o r e p e r s o n . 
We've g o t t h e j u r y 
b a c k , 
some o f them. 
We have g o t t h e f o r e m a n b a c k i n h e r e , 
p r i m a r i l y . 
The f o r e p e r s o n . 
"Mr. 
[ F o r e m a n ] , when you a n n o u n c e d y o u r 
v e r d i c t 
on c o u n t two, you a n n o u n c e d g u i l t y . 
Okay? 
However, 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m number two i s s i g n e d u n d e r 
t h e n o t 
g u i l t y . 
"THE FOREMAN: T h a t ' s what h a p p e n e d was I s i g n e d 
t h a t one i n s t e a d o f c o u n t 
f o u r . 
T h a t ' s how 
t h a t 
m i s t a k e -¬
"THE COURT: Okay. 
So i s i t 
t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g , 
t h e n , 
t h e v o t e was 
g u i l t y 
on c o u n t 
two a n d n o t 
g u i l t y on c o u n t 
f o u r ? 
"THE FOREMAN: T h a t i s c o r r e c t . 
"THE COURT: I'm g o i n g t o l e t 
y o u c o r r e c t 
t h i s 
one, t h e n , f o r 
me so t h a t we w i l l h a v e i t 
i n p r o p e r 
f o r m . 
"THE FOREMAN: I'm s o r r y , Y o u r H o n o r . 
I ' v e n e v e r 
done t h i s b e f o r e . 
5 
1091668 
"THE COURT: T h a t ' s 
a l l r i g h t . 
No p r o b l e m a t 
a l l . 
"THE FOREMAN: I t h i n k what 
c o n f u s e d 
me, 
Y o u r 
H o n o r , 
was t h e 
f i r s t 
a n d s e c o n d 
d e g r e e 
b e t w e e n 
c o u n t s 
two a n d 
f o u r . 
And 
t h a t ' s 
where 
I g o t 
c o n f u s e d 
on i t . One i s f i r s t 
d e g r e e ; t h e o t h e r i s 
s e c o n d d e g r e e . 
"THE COURT: A l l r i g h t . 
I u n d e r s t a n d t h a t , 
t h e n . 
"THE FOREMAN: Okay. 
"THE COURT: A l l r i g h t . 
Now, I n o t e t h a t I was 
o n l y 
a b l e t o c a t c h 
s e v e n o f t h e j u r o r s . 
However, 
when I p o l l e d t h e j u r o r s f o r t h e R e c o r d , I a s k e d 
them p e r t a i n i n g t o t h e t h r e e 
c o u n t s 
t h a t 
t h e y h a d 
f o u n d t h e d e f e n d a n t 
g u i l t y on, was t h i s 
t h e i r 
t r u e 
v e r d i c t . 
And t h e y 
s a i d 
t h a t i t 
was. 
I d i d 
n o t 
s p e c i f y t h e t h r e e c o u n t s t h a t y ' a l l f o u n d h i m g u i l t y 
on. 
T h a t ' s 
c o r r e c t ? 
"THE FOREMAN: Y e s , s i r . "
2 
The 
r e c o r d 
shows 
t h a t 
b e f o r e 
t o b e i n g 
d i s c h a r g e d , t h e 
j u r y was p o l l e d as t o i t s v e r d i c t o f g u i l t y on t h r e e o f 
t h e 
f o u r c o u n t s . 
F u r t h e r , t h e r e c o r d makes c l e a r t h a t o n l y 
a f t e r 
t h e 
j u r y was d i s c h a r g e d d i d 
t h e c o u r t 
r e a d t h e v e r d i c t f o r m 
f o r 
c o u n t I I , w h i c h t h e j u r y f o r e m a n h a d s i g n e d u n d e r t h e " n o t 
g u i l t y " o p t i o n . 
I n s e e k i n g t o c o r r e c t t h e d i s c r e p a n c y b e t w e e n 
t h e o r a l v e r d i c t a n d t h e w r i t t e n v e r d i c t , t h e c o u r t r e c o n v e n e d 
2 F u r t h e r 
r e v i e w 
o f t h e r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d i n f a c t 
s p e c i f y 
" c o u n t s I , I I , 
a n d I I I " 
b e f o r e 
p o l l i n g t h e j u r y . 
6 
1091668 
s e v e n 
o f 
t h e 
d i s c h a r g e d 
j u r o r s , 
i n c l u d i n g 
t h e 
f o r e m a n , 
and 
c o r r e c t e d 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m b a s e d upon 
t h e 
t e s t i m o n y 
o f 
t h e 
j u r y f o r e m a n and 
a r e - p o l l i n g o f t h o s e s e v e n 
j u r o r s . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
The 
o p e r a t i v e 
f a c t s 
a r e 
n o t 
d i s p u t e d ; 
t h u s , 
we 
a r e 
p r e s e n t e d w i t h 
a q u e s t i o n o f l a w . 
The 
s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w 
f o r 
p u r e q u e s t i o n s o f l a w 
i n c r i m i n a l c a s e s i s de n o v o . 
Ex 
p a r t e  
Key, 
890 
So. 
2d 
1056, 
1059 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 3 ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
" U n t i l 
a 
j u r y 
has 
b e e n 
d i s c h a r g e d , 
i t i s 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
power o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o d i r e c t 
i t t o 
c o r r e c t 
i t s v e r d i c t 
so 
as 
t o make i t a p p e a r i n p r o p e r f o r m . " P r e f e r r e d 
R i s k 
Mut. 
 
I n s . 
Co. 
v. 
S t u a r t , 
395 
So. 
2d 
980, 
986 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 1 ) ( c i t i n g 
R o b e r t P. S t a p p Mach. Co. 
v. 
R u s s e l l , 
277 
A l a . 
84, 
167 
So. 
2d 
167 
( 1 9 6 4 ) ) . 
I n 
f a c t , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d 
j u s t t h a t 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e . 
When t h e 
j u r y 
f i r s t 
p r e s e n t e d 
i t s v e r d i c t 
b u t 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
was 
p l a c e d 
on 
t h e 
r e c o r d , 
t h e 
j u r y 
f o r e m a n 
i n f o r m e d 
t h e 
c o u r t 
t h a t 
he 
had 
s i g n e d 
t h e 
i n c o r r e c t 
l i n e 
on 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m 
f o r c o u n t 
I V , 
and 
t h e 
j u r y 
was 
a l l o w e d 
t o 
r e t i r e t o c o r r e c t 
t h i s e r r o r . 
However, d e s p i t e 
k n o w i n g o f 
t h e 
c o n f u s i o n w i t h 
t h e 
f o u r 
v e r d i c t f o r m s , n e i t h e r 
t h e 
c o u r t 
n o r 
7 
1091668 
c o u n s e l 
r e a d 
t h e v e r d i c t f o r m s 
c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s l y 
w i t h t h e 
p o l l i n g o f t h e j u r y o r b e f o r e t h e j u r y was 
d i s c h a r g e d . 
" I t i s ... c l e a r u n d e r o u r a u t h o r i t i e s t h a t t h e d i s c h a r g e 
o f t h e j u r y b y t h e t r i a l c o u r t ends t h e i r c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f 
t h e 
c a s e . " 
P r e f e r r e d R i s k , 395 So. 2d a t 986 ( c i t i n g S t . C l a i r v .  
C a l d w e l l 
& R i d d l e , 
72 A l a . 527 
( 1 8 8 2 ) ) . 
T h i s 
C o u r t h a s 
s t a t e d : 
" I t 
i s t h e d u t y o f t h e 
[ t r i a l ] 
c o u r t , and o f t h e 
p r o s e c u t i n g 
o f f i c e r , 
t o l o o k 
a f t e r 
i t s f o r m and 
s u b s t a n c e , 
so f a r as t o p r e v e n t 
an 
u n i n t e l l i g i b l e , 
o r 
a 
d o u b t f u l , 
o r an 
i n s u f f i c i e n t 
v e r d i c t 
f r o m 
p a s s i n g 
i n t o t h e r e c o r d s 
o f t h e c o u r t , t o 
c r e a t e 
e m b a r r a s s m e n t s 
a f t e r w a r d and p e r h a p s t h e n e c e s s i t y 
o f a new 
t r i a l . " 
A l l e n v. S t a t e , 52 A l a . 391 , 392 
( 1 8 7 5 ) . 
I n t h i s 
c a s e , t h e 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m s 
were 
n o t 
r e v i e w e d 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
j u r y 
was 
d i s c h a r g e d , and t h e r e c o r d c o n t a i n e d a v e r d i c t f o r m f o r c o u n t 
I I 
i n d i c a t i n g a " n o t g u i l t y " v e r d i c t w h i l e a p o l l o f t h e j u r y 
had 
i n d i c a t e d a f i n d i n g o f " g u i l t y " on t h a t same c o u n t . 
Upon 
r e a l i z i n g t h e c o n f l i c t , 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
r e c a l l e d t h e s e v e n 
a v a i l a b l e 
members 
o f t h e d i s c h a r g e d 
j u r y t o 
c o r r e c t t h e 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m . 
On 
r e v i e w , 
t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
u p h e l d 
t h i s 
amended v e r d i c t as a c l e r i c a l 
c o r r e c t i o n a u t h o r i z e d by R u l e 
29, A l a . 
R. C r i m . P., w h i c h p r o v i d e s , i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t , 
t h a t 
8 
1091668 
" [ c ] l e r i c a l 
m i s t a k e s i n j u d g m e n t s , o r d e r s , 
o r o t h e r 
p a r t s 
o f 
t h e r e c o r d , and 
e r r o r s a r i s i n g f r o m o v e r s i g h t o r o m i s s i o n 
may 
be 
c o r r e c t e d by t h e c o u r t a t a n y t i m e o f i t s own 
i n i t i a t i v e 
o r 
on 
t h e m o t i o n o f any 
p a r t y and 
a f t e r s u c h n o t i c e , i f any, 
as 
t h e 
c o u r t 
o r d e r s . " 
The 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
r e l i e d 
i n 
p a r t 
on Deramus H e a r i n g A i d C e n t e r , 
I n c . v. A m e r i c a n 
H e a r i n g  
A i d 
A s s o c i a t e s , I n c . , 950 
So. 
2d 292 
( A l a . 2 0 0 6 ) . 
I n Deramus, 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
i n a d v e r t e n t l y 
s i g n e d 
an 
o r d e r 
e n t e r i n g 
a 
summary j u d g m e n t f o r t h e d e f e n d a n t s and s u b s e q u e n t l y c o r r e c t e d 
i t s m i s t a k e by 
r e s c i n d i n g t h a t 
o r d e r 
and 
s i g n i n g a summary-
j u d g m e n t 
o r d e r 
i n 
f a v o r 
o f 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s , 
as 
i t 
had 
o r i g i n a l l y 
i n t e n d e d 
t o do, 
p u r s u a n t t o t h e 
a u t h o r i t y 
g r a n t e d 
i t by R u l e 6 0 ( a ) , A l a R. 
C i v . P., 
f r o m w h i c h R u l e 29, A l a . 
R. 
C r i m . P., 
i s d i r e c t l y 
t a k e n . 
See C o m m i t t e e Comments t o R u l e 
29, 
A l a . 
R. 
C r i m . 
P. 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
h e l d 
t h a t 
" [ t ] h e 
t y p e 
o f 
c o r r e c t i o n 
i n 
t h e 
i n s t a n t 
c a s e 
was 
c l e r i c a l 
i n 
t h a t 
t h e 
c o r r e c t i o n d i d n o t i n v o l v e one 
o f j u d i c i a l 
r e a s o n i n g , 
i . e . , a 
m i s t a k e o f f a c t o r m o d i f i c a t i o n o f an o r i g i n a l j u d g m e n t , w h i c h 
w o u l d r e q u i r e 
j u d i c i a l 
d i s c r e t i o n u n d e r R u l e 
6 0 ( b ) , 
A l a . 
R. 
C i v . 
P." 
Deramus, 950 
So. 
2d a t 
295. 
Deramus, h o w e v e r , 
i s 
d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e f r o m 
t h e 
p r e s e n t 
c a s e . 
I n 
Deramus, 
t h e 
s o l e 
p a r t y 
r e s p o n s i b l e 
f o r 
t h e 
9 
1091668 
d i s p o s i t i v e j u d g m e n t and t h e c l e r i c a l 
e r r o r 
r e l a t i n g t h e r e t o 
was t h e j u d g e . 
He was n e v e r " d i s c h a r g e d " o r o t h e r w i s e r e m o v e d 
f r o m h i s j u d i c i a l 
d u t i e s b e t w e e n t h e t i m e t h e c l e r i c a l 
e r r o r 
was c o m m i t t e d and t h e t i m e i t 
was c o r r e c t e d . 
F u r t h e r , b e c a u s e 
i t was a 
c i v i l 
a c t i o n , Deramus was n o t a f f e c t e d by d o u b l e -
j e o p a r d y 
c o n c e r n s . 
I n t h e p r e s e n t 
c a s e , t h e o n l y 
e n t i t y 
a u t h o r i z e d a t l a w t o d e t e r m i n e t h e v e r d i c t as t o c o u n t I I 
o f 
t h e i n d i c t m e n t c h a r g i n g Lamb was t h e j u r y . 
A t t h e moment t h e 
j u r y was d i s c h a r g e d , t h e r e c o r d c o n t a i n e d a w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m s t a t i n g t h e j u r y h a d f o u n d Lamb " n o t g u i l t y " as t o c o u n t 
I I and t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t h a d p o l l e d t h e j u r o r s , who 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t t h e y h a d r e n d e r e d a g u i l t y v e r d i c t as t o t h a t same c o u n t . 
U n d e r t a k i n g t o c h a n g e a j u r y ' s 
v e r d i c t , 
w h e t h e r 
i n 
w r i t t e n o r o r a l f o r m , i s u n a v o i d a b l y a 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
c h a n g e , 
n o t a mere c o r r e c t i o n o f a c l e r i c a l m i s t a k e , and s u c h a c h a n g e 
s h o u l d have b e e n n o t i c e d , 
a l t e r e d , and e n t e r e d on t h e r e c o r d 
b e f o r e t h e j u r y was d i s c h a r g e d , t h e moment t h a t "ends [ i t s ] 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e c a s e . " P r e f e r r e d R i s k , 395 So. 2d a t 986 
( c i t i n g S t . C l a i r , 
s u p r a ) . 
I t i s c l e a r f r o m t h e r e c o r d t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t was n o t m a k i n g 
t h i s 
c o r r e c t i o n 
p u r s u a n t t o 
R u l e 29, A l a . R. C r i m . P., b e c a u s e R u l e 29 a l l o w s t h e c o u r t t o 
make s u c h a c o r r e c t i o n " a t a n y t i m e o f i t s own 
i n i t i a t i v e . " 
10 
1091668 
R a t h e r , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
r e c a l l e d 
s e v e n 
o f 
t h e 
d i s c h a r g e d 
j u r o r s , i n q u i r e d 
o f t h e i r i n t e n t on t h e r e c o r d , 
r e - p o l l e d them 
as 
t o 
t h e 
v e r d i c t , 
and 
r e q u e s t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u r y f o r e m a n make 
t h e 
n e c e s s a r y c o r r e c t i o n 
on 
t h e 
v e r d i c t f o r m f o r c o u n t I I . 
I n H a y e s , 44 
A l a . App. 
a t 5 0 1 - 0 2 , 214 
So. 
2d 
a t 
710, 
t h e 
C o u r t o f A p p e a l s s u m m a r i z e d t h i s C o u r t ' s j u r i s p r u d e n c e on 
t h i s 
i s s u e 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
"When a 
j u r y 
has 
b e e n d i s c h a r g e d 
by 
t h e 
c o u r t 
and 
has 
l e f t 
t h e 
c o u r t r o o m 
so 
as 
t o 
p l a c e 
t h e m s e l v e s 
b e y o n d t h e 
i m m e d i a t e , c o n t i n u o u s c o n t r o l 
o f 
t h e 
c o u r t , 
t h e i r 
c o n n e c t i o n w i t h 
t h e 
c a s e c e a s e s t o e x i s t and 
t h e r e a f t e r 
t h a t 
c a s e i s b e y o n d t h e i r c o n t r o l . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
I n H a y e s , 
t h e 
j u r y r e a d 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
i n c o u r t 
and 
was 
t h e n 
d i s c h a r g e d . 
A f t e r 
t h e 
j u r o r s 
l e f t 
t h e 
c o u r t r o o m , 
i t was 
d i s c o v e r e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u r o r s 
had 
r e t u r n e d 
two 
w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t s , 
a l t h o u g h 
t h e y 
had 
b e e n 
i n s t r u c t e d 
t o 
r e t u r n 
o n l y 
one. 
The 
c o u r t s e n t 
t h e 
b a i l i f f 
t o 
r e t r i e v e 
t h e 
j u r o r s . 
The 
b a i l i f f r e t u r n e d 
"15 
o r 
20 
m i n u t e s " 
l a t e r w i t h 
"some" 
o f 
t h e 
j u r o r s , 
and 
t h e 
o t h e r 
j u r o r s 
r e t u r n e d 
a 
few 
m i n u t e s 
a f t e r 
t h a t . 
44 
A l a . 
App. 
a t 
5 0 0 - 0 1 , 
214 
So. 
2d 
a t 
710. 
The 
C o u r t 
o f A p p e a l s h e l d 
t h a t 
"once 
t h e 
j u r y 
has 
b e e n 
d i s c h a r g e d 
and 
l e f t 
t h e 
c o u r t ' s 
 
c o n t r o l , t h e y c o u l d 
n o t 
t h e r e a f t e r 
be resummoned i n o r d e r 
t o 
c o r r e c t 
o r 
amend 
a 
v e r d i c t 
w h i c h 
i s 
i n s u f f i c i e n t 
i n 
11 
1091668 
s u b s t a n c e . " 
44 A l a . App. a t 502, 214 So. 2d a t 710 ( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
T h i s 
r e a s o n i n g 
i s c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
r e a s o n i n g i n P r e f e r r e d R i s k . 
" ' A l t h o u g h 
[ t h i s C o u r t ' s 
p r i o r ] 
c a s e s do n o t e x p r e s s l y d e t e r m i n e t h e p o i n t , t h e i n f e r e n c e i s 
i r r e s i s t i b l e t h a t where t h e v e r d i c t i s r e c e i v e d , r e c o r d e d , and 
t h e j u r y d i s m i s s e d , as h e r e , 
t h e y have n o t t h e power t o a l t e r 
t h e i r 
v e r d i c t . ' " 
395 So. 2d a t 986 
( q u o t i n g 
W a l t e r s 
v . 
 
J u n k i n s , 16 S e r g . & R a w l e 414, 16 Am. Dec. 585 ( P a . 1 8 2 6 ) ) . 
A 
c r i t i c a l 
c o n c e r n 
r a i s e d b y a j u r y ' s d i s c h a r g e , 
l a t e r 
r e c a l l , and s u b s e q u e n t r e n d e r i n g o f a s e c o n d v e r d i c t i s 
t h e 
p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t "'any o u t s i d e i n f l u e n c e ' " c o u l d be b r o u g h t t o 
b e a r on t h e j u r o r s o r t h e j u r o r s c o u l d be " ' c o m m u n i c a t e d w i t h 
o r t a m p e r e d w i t h b y any p e r s o n ' " 
d u r i n g t h e " ' v e r y few m i n u t e s 
t h a t 
t r a n s p i r e d b e t w e e n t h e t i m e o f d i s c h a r g e 
and 
r e c a l l . ' " 
P r e f e r r e d R i s k , 395 So. 2d a t 988 ( q u o t i n g M a s t e r s v. S t a t e , 
344 So. 2d 616, 619 ( F l a . D i s t . C t . App. 
1 9 7 7 ) ) . 
A t Lamb's 
t r i a l , t h e j u r y was o u t s i d e t h e c o u r t r o o m and 
o u t s i d e t h e p r e s e n c e and s u p e r v i s i o n o f any o f f i c e r o f t h e 
c o u r t f o r 
a few m i n u t e s b e t w e e n i t s d i s c h a r g e and t h e r e c a l l . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
f i v e 
members 
o f 
t h a t 
j u r y 
were 
c o m p l e t e l y 
u n a v a i l a b l e and d i d 
n o t p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h a t 
r e c a l l . 
E v e n i f 
t h i s C o u r t were t o somehow o v e r l o o k t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f t a i n t 
12 
1091668 
once t h i s j u r y was f o r m a l l y d i s c h a r g e d and b e y o n d t h e p r e s e n c e 
and 
s u p e r v i s i o n 
o f t h e c o u r t , 
a s i g n i f i c a n t c o n c e r n 
r e m a i n s 
t h a t 
f i v e members o f t h e d i s c h a r g e d j u r y were n o t a v a i l a b l e t o 
a t t e m p t t o c o r r e c t t h e i n c o n s i s t e n t 
v e r d i c t s . 
An 
a d d i t i o n a l 
c o n c e r n 
r a i s e d by t h e f a c t s o f t h i s and 
s i m i l a r c a s e s , as t h i s C o u r t d i s c u s s e d i n P r e f e r r e d 
R i s k , i s 
t h e 
a p p e a r a n c e o f i m p r o p r i e t y . 
395 So. 2d a t 987. 
The 
i n t e g r i t y o f j u r y v e r d i c t s a n d t h e i r a c c e p t a n c e b y t h e s o c i e t y 
g o v e r n e d b y them a r e " a t t h e v e r y r o o t and b r a n c h o f t h e j u r y 
s y s t e m 
i t s e l f . " 
395 So. 2d a t 987. What i s b e f o r e us -- a 
c o r r e c t i o n t o i n c o n s i s t e n t 
v e r d i c t s on a s i n g l e 
c o u n t o f an 
i n d i c t m e n t b y s e v e n members o f a d i s c h a r g e d j u r y who h a d b e e n 
b e y o n d t h e p r e s e n c e and s u p e r v i s i o n 
o f t h e c o u r t -- c e r t a i n l y 
a p p e a r s 
i m p r o p e r . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
The 
j u r y d e l i v e r e d two i n c o n s i s t e n t 
v e r d i c t s as t o c o u n t 
I I o f t h e i n d i c t m e n t 
c h a r g i n g Lamb w i t h 
f i r s t - d e g r e e 
s e x u a l 
a b u s e , one o f w h i c h was a w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m 
f i n d i n g Lamb 
" n o t 
g u i l t y , " w h i c h became f i n a l when i t 
was a c c e p t e d b y t h e 
c o u r t 
and t h e j u r y 
d i s c h a r g e d .
3 
The 
j u r y 
t h e n 
l e f t t h e 
3 T h i s C o u r t 
i s 
r e l e a s i n g 
a n o t h e r c a s e on 
t h i s 
d a t e , 
Ex 
p a r t e T.D.M., [Ms. 1 0 9 1 6 4 5 , O c t o b e r 28, 2011] 
So. 
3d 
13 
1091668 
p r e s e n c e 
and 
s u p e r v i s i o n o f t h e 
c o u r t . 
T h e r e a f t e r , 
n e i t h e r 
t h e 
j u r y 
n o r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
had 
t h e 
power 
t o 
a l t e r 
t h e 
v e r d i c t . 
P r e f e r r e d R i s k , 
395 
So. 
2d 
a t 
987. 
The 
w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t f o r m f o r c o u n t I I s i g n e d by t h e j u r y f o r e m a n 
t h a t 
was 
d e l i v e r e d t o t h e c o u r t i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e j u r y f o u n d Lamb 
" n o t 
g u i l t y " 
o f s e x u a l a b u s e i n t h e 
f i r s t d e g r e e , as c h a r g e d , 
and 
t h a t 
i s 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
t h a t 
must 
s t a n d . 
Any 
s u b s e q u e n t 
a l t e r a t i o n 
o f t h e v e r d i c t u n d e r t h e 
f a c t s o f 
t h i s c a s e w o u l d 
s u b j e c t Lamb t o b e i n g p l a c e d t w i c e i n j e o p a r d y 
f o r a c r i m e 
he 
had 
b e e n 
a c q u i t t e d o f 
and 
w o u l d 
v i o l a t e 
h i s 
r i g h t s 
a g a i n s t 
d o u b l e j e o p a r d y 
u n d e r t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n and 
t h e 
A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n . 
The 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' 
a f f i r m a n c e 
o f 
t h e 
T a l l a p o o s a 
C i r c u i t C o u r t ' s summary d i s m i s s a l o f Lamb's R u l e 
32 
p e t i t i o n t h e r e f o r e must be r e v e r s e d and 
t h e c a u s e remanded t o 
t h a t 
c o u r t 
f o r 
f u r t h e r 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n . 
REVERSED AND 
REMANDED. 
( A l a . 2 0 1 1 ) , w i t h a n a l o g o u s f a c t s and 
a s i m i l a r o u t c o m e . 
We 
n o t e t h a t t h e 
p r o b l e m a t i c 
r e c a l l i n g 
o f a d i s c h a r g e d 
j u r y 
can be a v o i d e d 
i n a l l c a s e s i f , 
b e f o r e t h e j u r y i s 
d i s c h a r g e d , 
t h e c o u r t p o l l s t h e j u r y and t h e c o u r t and a l l c o u n s e l 
r e v i e w 
t h e w r i t t e n v e r d i c t f o r m o r 
f o r m s . 
14 
1091668 
M a l o n e , C . J . , and W o o d a l l , 
S t u a r t , 
B o l i n , 
P a r k e r , and 
M u r d o c k , J J . , c o n c u r . 
Shaw, J . , d i s s e n t s . 
M a i n and W i s e , J J . , r e c u s e 
t h e m s e l v e s . * 
* J u s t i c e M a i n and J u s t i c e W i s e were members o f t h e C o u r t 
o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s when t h a t c o u r t c o n s i d e r e d t h i s 
c a s e . 
15 
1091668 
SHAW, J u s t i c e 
( d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
I 
r e s p e c t f u l l y 
d i s s e n t . 
The 
j u r y 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e 
was 
c h a r g e d on 
f o u r 
c o u n t s . 
A f t e r 
t h e 
d e l i b e r a t i o n s , 
t h e 
j u r y 
f o r e m a n o r a l l y a n n o u n c e d g u i l t y v e r d i c t s 
as t o c o u n t s I , I I , 
and I I I . The f o r e m a n t h e n i n d i c a t e d 
t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t h a t 
t h e w r i t t e n v e r d i c t f o r m was 
i n c o r r e c t as t o c o u n t I V , and t h e 
j u r y r e t u r n e d t o t h e j u r y room t o c l a r i f y i t s v e r d i c t on c o u n t 
IV. 
The 
j u r y r e t u r n e d and d e l i v e r e d 
an o r a l v e r d i c t o f " n o t 
g u i l t y " as t o c o u n t I V . 
The w r i t t e n v e r d i c t f o r m d e l i v e r e d t o 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , 
h o w e v e r , 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e j u r y h a d 
f o u n d 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
" n o t 
g u i l t y " on c o u n t 
I I . 
T h i s 
f a c t was 
n o t 
d i s c o v e r e d 
u n t i l 
a f t e r t h e j u r y h a d b e e n 
d i s c h a r g e d . 
I a g r e e t h a t t h e o r a l v e r d i c t d e l i v e r e d by t h e f o r e m a n on 
c o u n t I I , a v e r d i c t 
f i n d i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t 
g u i l t y , c o n f l i c t s 
w i t h 
t h e w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m 
i n d i c a t i n g a v e r d i c t 
o f 
" n o t 
g u i l t y " on t h a t c o u n t . 
I f t h e f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e e n d e d 
t h e r e , 
I 
w o u l d 
a g r e e 
t h a t 
a 
r e v e r s a l 
o f 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s ' j u d g m e n t was 
a p p r o p r i a t e . 
However, a f t e r 
r e c e i v i n g 
t h e o r a l v e r d i c t 
o f n o t 
g u i l t y 
on c o u n t I V , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t u n d e r t o o k t o c o n f i r m t h e g u i l t y  
v e r d i c t s 
on c o u n t s I , I I , and I I I . The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
16 
1091668 
" A l l 
r i g h t . L a d i e s and g e n t l e m e n , as t o c o u n t s  
one, 
two, and t h r e e , 
I am g o i n g t o p o l l y o u . What I 
mean, I am g o i n g t o a s k you i n d i v i d u a l l y w h e t h e r 
t h i s 
v e r d i c t i s y o u r v e r d i c t 
i n d i v i d u a l l y . ... And  
t h i s 
p e r t a i n s 
t o a l l t h r e e 
v e r d i c t s 
t h a t 
you h a v e  
v o t e d 
g u i l t y 
on. 
A l l r i g h t ? 
Were 
t h e s e 
y o u r 
v e r d i c t s ? " 
E a c h 
i n d i v i d u a l 
j u r o r 
t h e n 
c o n f i r m e d 
t h a t 
t h e y 
f o u n d t h e 
d e f e n d a n t g u i l t y as t o c o u n t s I , I I , and I I I . 
T h e r e i s no 
c o n f u s i o n 
i n t h i s 
c a s e as t o t h e 
j u r y ' s 
a c t u a l v e r d i c t on c o u n t I I : t h e j u r o r s 
i n d i v i d u a l l y c o n f i r m e d 
t h e 
f o r e m a n ' s 
o r a l 
v e r d i c t o f " g u i l t y " on t h a t 
c o u n t . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s p e c i f i c a l l y i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
i t was 
g o i n g t o 
i n q u i r e as t o e a c h j u r o r ' s 
v e r d i c t on c o u n t s I , I I , 
and 
I I I 
f o r 
t h e p u r p o s e o f e n s u r i n g t h a t t h e " t h r e e v e r d i c t s 
t h a t you 
... v o t e d 
g u i l t y on" were " y o u r v e r d i c t s . "
4 
T h i s 
c l a r i f i e d 
and 
r e c t i f i e d any e x i s t e n t 
c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n t h e o r a l 
v e r d i c t 
a l r e a d y 
d e l i v e r e d 
b y t h e f o r e m a n and t h e w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t 
a l r e a d y 
d e l i v e r e d 
t o b u t n o t y e t r e a d by t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
A f t e r t h e j u r y was p o l l e d , t h e i n c o n s i s t e n c y 
was 
r e s o l v e d .
5 
4 I 
c a n n o t c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
e x i s t e d a j u r o r o r 
j u r o r s 
who a c t u a l l y i n t e n d e d t o d e l i v e r a g u i l t y v e r d i c t o n l y on two 
c o u n t s b u t t h e n s p e c i f i c a l l y c o n f i r m e d when p o l l e d t h a t he o r 
she 
d e l i v e r e d a g u i l t y v e r d i c t on t h r e e 
c o u n t s . 
5 I n Ex p a r t e T.D.M., [Ms. 1 0 9 1 6 4 5 , O c t o b e r 28, 2011] 
So. 
3d 
( A l a . 2 0 1 1 ) , a d e c i s i o n 
r e l e a s e d 
t o d a y , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i s c h a r g e d 
t h e 
j u r y 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
c o u l d 
be 
17 
1091668 
As n o t e d i n t h e m a i n o p i n i o n , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a t t e m p t e d 
t o r e a s s e m b l e t h e d i s m i s s e d j u r y f o r 
t h e p u r p o s e o f c o r r e c t i n g 
t h e w r i t t e n v e r d i c t f o r m . 
I a g r e e t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c o u l d 
n o t 
a l l o w t h e j u r y t o amend i t s 
v e r d i c t a f t e r t h e j u r y h a d 
b e e n d i s m i s s e d . 
Hayes v. S t a t e , 44 A l a . 
App. 499, 502, 214 
So. 2d 708, 710 (1968) 
("[O]nce t h e j u r y h a s b e e n 
d i s c h a r g e d 
and 
l e f t t h e c o u r t ' s 
c o n t r o l , 
t h e y c o u l d n o t t h e r e a f t e r be 
resummoned i n o r d e r t o c o r r e c t o r amend a v e r d i c t . " ) . However, 
any 
e r r o r c o m m i t t e d by t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t was h a r m l e s s 
b e c a u s e 
u n d e r R u l e 29, A l a . R. C r i m . P., t h e t r i a l c o u r t h a s t h e power 
t o 
c o r r e c t 
a 
m i s t a k e 
on 
t h e 
w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
R u l e 
29 
a l l o w s 
a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t o 
c o r r e c t 
" [ c ] l e r i c a l m i s t a k e s i n j u d g m e n t s , 
o r d e r s , o r o t h e r p a r t s o f 
t h e 
r e c o r d , 
a n d e r r o r s 
a r i s i n g 
f r o m 
o v e r s i g h t o r 
o m i s s i o n 
" 
The " c l e r i c a l e r r o r s " t h a t c a n be c o r r e c t e d u n d e r R u l e 
2 9 
i n c l u d e 
" ' e r r o r s b y 
o t h e r s , 
s u c h 
as a 
j u r y 
f o r e m a n , 
c o u n s e l , a p a r t y , o r t h e j u d g e h i m s e l f . '" D o l l a r v. S t a t e , 687 
So. 2 d 209, 210 ( A l a . 1996) 
( q u o t i n g C o n t i n e n t a l O i l 
Co. v .  
W i l l i a m s , 
370 
So. 
2 d 
953, 
954 
( A l a . 1979) 
( e m p h a s i s 
c o n f i r m e d . 
The t r i a l 
c o u r t i n t h a t c a s e a t t e m p t e d t o 
r e c a l l 
t h e 
j u r y t o amend i t s v e r d i c t in violation of the "the g e n e r a l 
r u l e 
t h a t a j u r y c a n n o t be r e c a l l e d 
a f t e r 
d i s c h a r g e 
t o amend 
i t s 
v e r d i c t . " 
So. 3d a t 
. 
18 
1091668 
o m i t t e d ) ) .
6 
As t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s n o t e d , R u l e 29 
" a u t h o r i z e [ s ] 
t h e c o u r t t o c o r r e c t a c l e r i c a l 
e r r o r i n t h e 
r e c o r d t o a c c u r a t e l y 
r e f l e c t t h e j u d g m e n t t h a t was r e n d e r e d , 
i . e . , 
t o s p e a k t h e t r u t h . " 
Lamb v . S t a t e , 
[Ms. C R - 0 8 - 1 6 8 2 , 
J u n e 25, 2010] 
So. 3 d 
, 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 2 0 1 0 ) . The 
j u r y ' s t r u e v e r d i c t , as c o n f i r m e d a n d c l a r i f i e d b y t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
p o l l i n g o f t h e j u r y , was a v e r d i c t o f " g u i l t y " on 
c o u n t I I . The t r i a l 
c o u r t was f r e e u n d e r R u l e 29 t o c o r r e c t 
t h e m i s t a k e o f t h e f o r e m a n on t h e w r i t t e n v e r d i c t f o r m s o t h a t 
i t w o u l d r e p r e s e n t t h e j u r y ' s t r u e v e r d i c t e x p r e s s e d when 
i t 
was p o l l e d . 
The m a i n o p i n i o n 
a p p e a r s t o e l e v a t e t h e w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t 
o v e r t h e o r a l v e r d i c t a n d a p p e a r s t o s a y t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h a s no a u t h o r i t y t o a l t e r a w r i t t e n v e r d i c t . 
So. 3d a t 
. 
U n d e r R u l e 2 6 . 1 , A l a . 
R. C r i m . P., a j u d g m e n t i s 
" t h e 
a d j u d i c a t i o n o f t h e c o u r t " b a s e d o n , among o t h e r t h i n g s , " t h e 
v e r d i c t o f t h e j u r y . " 
A l t h o u g h R u l e 2 3 . 1 ( a ) , A l a . 
R. 
C r i m . 
P., 
s t a t e s 
t h a t 
a 
" v e r d i c t o f t h e j u r y 
... 
s h a l l 
be i n 
^ C o n t i n e n t a l O i l i n v o l v e d a d i s c u s s i o n o f R u l e 6 0 ( a ) , 
A l a . 
R. C i v . P. 
" B e c a u s e 
R u l e 29 i s t a k e n 
d i r e c t l y 
f r o m 
R u l e 
6 0 ( a ) , A l a . R. C i v . 
P., c a s e s c o n s t r u i n g 
R u l e 6 0 ( a ) s h o u l d be 
e x a m i n e d t o d e t e r m i n e t h e p r o p e r c o n s t r u c t i o n t o be p l a c e d on 
R u l e 2 9 . " 
D o l l a r , 687 So. 2d a t 210. 
19 
1091668 
w r i t i n g " a n d t h a t 
w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t s a r e " p r e f e r a b l e " 
t o o r a l 
v e r d i c t s , 
" c a s e l a w s t a t e s 
t h a t 
i t i s n o t e s s e n t i a l t o a 
v e r d i c t 
t h a t t h e v e r d i c t be i n w r i t i n g . " 
C o m m i t t e e Comments 
t o 
R u l e 
2 3 . 1 . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
i s t h u s 
f r e e 
t o e n t e r 
a 
j u d g m e n t on an o r a l v e r d i c t as w e l l as on a w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t . 
I n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e , t h e j u r y members c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e o r a l 
v e r d i c t 
d e l i v e r e d b y t h e f o r e m a n on c o u n t I I -- " g u i l t y " -¬
was " t h e i r v e r d i c t , " a n d t h e t r i a l c o u r t was f r e e t o e n t e r i t s 
j u d g m e n t f i n d i n g Lamb g u i l t y on c o u n t I I b a s e d on t h a t 
o r a l 
v e r d i c t . 
I n Hayes v. S t a t e , t h e d e f e n d a n t was c h a r g e d w i t h 
g r a n d 
l a r c e n y 
a n d w i t h 
b u y i n g , 
r e c e i v i n g , 
o r c o n c e a l i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y . 
The j u r y was g i v e n t h r e e v e r d i c t 
f o r m s : " ( 1 ) One 
f o r 
G r a n d 
L a r c e n y ; 
(2) one 
f o r b u y i n g , 
r e c e i v i n g , 
o r 
c o n c e a l i n g s t o l e n p r o p e r t y ; a n d (3) one f o r 
n o t g u i l t y . " 
44 
A l a . App. a t 500, 214 So. 2 d a t 709. The j u r y was 
i n s t r u c t e d 
t o 
r e t u r n 
o n l y 
one 
f o r m . 
A f t e r 
d e l i b e r a t i o n s , 
t h e 
j u r y 
r e a c h e d 
a 
d e c i s i o n 
a n d g a v e an 
o r a l 
v e r d i c t 
f i n d i n g t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
g u i l t y 
o f g r a n d 
l a r c e n y . 
A f t e r 
t h e 
j u r y 
was 
d i s c h a r g e d , i t was d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e j u r y f o r e m a n , 
c o n t r a r y 
t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
i n s t r u c t i o n , h a d c o m p l e t e d a n d s i g n e d 
20 
1091668 
b o t h t h e v e r d i c t f o r m f i n d i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t 
g u i l t y o f g r a n d 
l a r c e n y a n d t h e f o r m f i n d i n g h i m g u i l t y o f b u y i n g , 
r e c e i v i n g , 
o r c o n c e a l i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y . 
The j u r y ' s v e r d i c t , t h e c o u r t 
s t a t e d , was 
" i n s u f f i c i e n t 
i n s u b s t a n c e . " 
44 A l a . App. a t 502, 214 So. 2 d a t 710. 
An 
a m b i g u i t y e x i s t e d b e c a u s e t h e two w r i t t e n v e r d i c t s c o u l d n o t 
b o t h 
s t a n d , 
and one o f t h e w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t s 
c o n f l i c t e d 
w i t h 
t h e 
o r a l v e r d i c t . 
U n l i k e 
t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , b e f o r e t h e j u r y 
c o u l d be p o l l e d as t o i t s t r u e v e r d i c t , i t 
was d i s c h a r g e d . 
On 
a p p l i c a t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g , 
t h e S t a t e 
c o n t e n d e d t h a t t h e o r a l 
v e r d i c t s h o u l d be g i v e n p r e c e d e n c e o v e r t h e w r i t t e n v e r d i c t s . 
The c o u r t 
r e j e c t e d 
t h a t a r g u m e n t , s t a t i n g : 
" A l t h o u g h 
a v e r d i c t 
may 
be 
w r i t t e n 
o r 
o r a l , 
where t h e r e 
i s b o t h a w r i t t e n and o r a l v e r d i c t , i t 
i s n e c e s s a r y t h a t e a c h be i n a c c o r d w i t h t h e 
o t h e r . 
I f 
any 
i n c o n s i s t e n c e 
o r 
a m b i g u i t y 
e x i s t s 
i n t h e  
v e r d i c t , i t 
must be c o r r e c t e d p r i o r t o t h e d i s m i s s a l 
o f t h e j u r y and f a i l u r e t o do s o , as i n t h e i n s t a n t 
c a s e , 
w i l l 
r e s u l t i n a r e v e r s a l o f t h e c a s e 
upon 
t r i a l . " 
44 A l a . 
App. a t 502, 214 So. 2d a t 711 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . Hayes 
s t a t e s 
t h a t any i n c o n s i s t e n c y 
o r a m b i g u i t y i n " t h e v e r d i c t " 
must be r e s o l v e d 
b e f o r e t h e j u r y i s d i s m i s s e d . 
I t d o e s n o t 
s t a n d 
f o r t h e p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t 
a w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t must 
be 
c l a r i f i e d and amended b e f o r e t h e j u r y i s d i s c h a r g e d i n o r d e r 
21 
1091668 
f o r 
" t h e 
v e r d i c t " o f t h e 
j u r y t o s t a n d ; s u c h a h o l d i n g 
w o u l d 
e l e v a t e 
f o r m o v e r 
s u b s t a n c e . 
I n 
t h e 
i n s t a n t 
c a s e , 
an 
" i n c o n s i s t e n c [ y ] 
o r 
a m b i g u i t y 
e x i s t [ e d ] i n t h e v e r d i c t " o f t h e j u r y b e c a u s e t h e o r a l v e r d i c t 
d e l i v e r e d by t h e f o r e m a n and 
t h e w r i t t e n v e r d i c t d e l i v e r e d 
t o 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c o n f l i c t e d . 
T h a t 
c o n f l i c t , 
h o w e v e r , 
was 
" c o r r e c t e d 
p r i o r t o t h e 
d i s m i s s a l o f 
t h e 
j u r y " by 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
p o l l i n g 
o f 
t h e 
j u r y . 
A l t h o u g h 
t h e 
c o n f l i c t 
had 
n o t 
y e t b e e n n o t i c e d , 
t h e v e r y p u r p o s e o f t h e 
p o l l was 
t o 
c l a r i f y 
t h a t 
t h e 
v e r d i c t s o f 
" g u i l t y " 
on 
c o u n t s 
I , I I , and 
I I I were 
c o r r e c t . 
I 
w o u l d 
h o l d 
t h a t 
t h e 
r e c o r d 
a f f i r m a t i v e l y 
d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t 
t h e 
j u r y f o u n d Lamb g u i l t y 
on c o u n t I I 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
p r o p e r l y 
e n t e r e d 
a j u d g m e n t 
on 
t h a t 
v e r d i c t . 
T h u s , 
I w o u l d a f f i r m t h e 
d e c i s i o n o f 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s . 
22