Case Title: T. D. M. v. Alabama

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1091645

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) 
2 2 9 - 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 
1091645 
Ex p a r t e T.D.M. 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
( I n r e : T.D.M. 
v. 
S t a t e o f Alabama) 
(Wilcox C i r c u i t Court, CC-06-12; 
Court of C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-08-0355) 
PER CURIAM. 
T.D.M. was c o n v i c t e d o f one c o u n t 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 a n d 
one c o u n t o f sodomy i n 
t h e f i r s t d e g r e e . The 
1091645 
r e c o r d shows t h a t a t t h e 
e n d 
o f T.D.M.'s t r i a l on A u g u s t 1 6 , 
2 0 0 7 , t h e j u r y 
f i r s t 
r e t u r n e d 
v e r d i c t s 
o f g u i l t y 
on t h e 
s e x u a l - a b u s e c h a r g e a n d 
n o t g u i l t y on t h e 
sodomy c h a r g e . The 
j u r y was t h e n d i s c h a r g e d , 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 . 
A f t e r a s h o r t t i m e , d u r i n g w h i c h p r o c e e d i n g s c o n t i n u e d i n t h e 
c o u r t r o o m , t h e c i r c u i t 
c l e r k e n t e r e d t o i n f o r m t h e 
j u d g e 
t h a t 
t h e 
n o t - g u i l t y 
v e r d i c t h a d b e e n 
e n t e r e d as a r e s u l t o f a 
c l e r i c a l e r r o r . 
The t r i a l c o u r t t h e n r e c a l l e d a n d p o l l e d t h e 
j u r y , a n d 
e a c h j u r o r s t a t e d t h a t h i s 
o r 
h e r 
v o t e on t h e 
sodomy 
c o u n t was g u i l t y . 
A f t e r t h e i s s u e was b r i e f e d b y b o t h 
s i d e s , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h e a r d 
t e s t i m o n y a t t h e s e n t e n c i n g 
h e a r i n g 
h e l d on 
S e p t e m b e r 15, 2008, as t o t h e 
e v e n t 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 j u r y ' s d i s c h a r g e a n d i t s 
r e c a l l . 
U l t i m a t e l y , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t e n t e r e d a j u d g m e n t f i n d i n g T.D.M. g u i l t y on t h e sodomy 
c h a r g e a n d p a s s e d s e n t e n c e 
a c c o r d i n g l y . 
T.D.M. a p p e a l e d t o 
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 , s e e k i n g 
a r e v e r s a l o f h i s c o n v i c t i o n s on s e v e r a l g r o u n d s . 
T h a t c o u r t 
a f f i r m e d T.D.M.'s c o n v i c t i o n s . 
T.D.M. v . S t a t e , [Ms. 
CR-08-
0355, J u n e 2 5 , 
2010] 
So. 
3d 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 2 0 1 0 ) . 
T.D.M. 
f i l e d a p e t i t i o n f o r 
t h e w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i i n t h i s 
2 
1091645 
C o u r t , 
s e e k i n g 
r e v i e w 
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 ' 
d e c i s i o n . 
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 
s o l e l y t o 
d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r T.D.M.'s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s a g a i n s t 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 , 
u n d e r t h e F i f t h Amendment t o 
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 
a n d a r t . I , § 9, o f t h e A l a b a m a 
C o n s t i t u t i o n o f 1 9 0 1 , were v i o l a t e d when t h e j u r y 
r e t u r n e d a 
n o t - g u i l t y 
v e r d i c t on t h e sodomy c o u n t , was d i s c h a r g e d , 
l e f t 
t h e c o u r t r o o m , a n d t h e n r e t u r n e d a n d c h a n g e d i t s v e r d i c t . 
We 
h o l d 
t h a t , 
u n d e r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
o f t h i s 
c a s e , 
T.D.M.'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 were v i o l a t e d , a n d 
we r e v e r s e 
and 
remand. 
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 
The 
r e c o r d r e f l e c t s t h a t a t 
t h e 
e n d 
o f 
T.D.M.'s t r i a l t h e 
j u r y e n t e r e d t h e c o u r t r o o m a t 5:19 p.m. a f t e r c o m p l e t i n g i t s 
d e l i b e r a t i o n s . 
The f o l l o w i n g 
t h e n 
o c c u r r e d : 
"THE COURT: 
You may be 
s e a t e d . 
Has t h e 
j u r y 
r e a c h e d a 
v e r d i c t ? 
"FOREPERSON: 
We h a v e , Y o u r H o n o r . 
"THE COURT: 
P l e a s e 
r e a d t h e v e r d i c t . 
"FOREPERSON: 
'We, t h e j u r y , 
f i n d t h e 
d e f e n d a n t , 
[T.D.M.], g u i l t y o f t h e o f f e n s e 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 i n c o u n t one o f 
t h e 
i n d i c t m e n t . 
We, t h e j u r y , 
f i n d t h e 
d e f e n d a n t , 
3 
1091645 
[T.D.M.], n o t g u i l t y o f t h e o f f e n s e o f sodomy as 
c h a r g e d i n c o u n t two o f t h e i n d i c t m e n t . ' 
"THE COURT: What s a y s t h e S t a t e ? 
" [ P r o s e c u t o r ] : 
The S t a t e ' s 
s a t i s f i e d , Y o u r H o n o r . 
"THE COURT: 
What s a y s t h e d e f e n d a n t ? 
" [ D e f e n s e 
c o u n s e l ] : 
We 
d o n ' t 
want y o u t o 
p o l l , 
J u d g e , i f 
t h a t ' s what y o u ' r e a s k i n g . A n d we want t o 
make a p o s t - t r i a l 
m o t i o n . 
"THE COURT: 
L a d i e s a n d g e n t l e m e n , on b e h a l f o f 
t h e 
l a w y e r s 
i n v o l v e d i n t h i s 
c a s e ; o u r C i r c u i t 
C l e r k , 
... 
; t h e S h e r i f f ; a n d t h e o t h e r 
j u d g e s 
i n 
t h i s 
c i r c u i t , we t h a n k y o u f o r y o u r t i m e . 
We hope y o u 
h a v e e n j o y e d y o u r e x p e r i e n c e . 
T h i s c o n c l u d e s y o u r 
j u r y s e r v i c e f o r t h e 
week. 
[The c l e r k ' s ] 
o f f i c e h a s 
p r e p a r e d y o u r c h e c k s a n d y o u r e x c u s e s . You w i l l now 
be 
f r e e t o 
go. 
" H o w e v e r , i f y o u d e s i r e t o s t a y a r o u n d a n d t a l k 
t o t h e f a m i l y members o r any o f [ t h e ] l a w y e r s , y o u 
may. 
T h a t i s 
up t o y o u . A g a i n , i t 
was a p l e a s u r e 
m e e t i n g y o u . [The c l e r k ] 
w i l l t a k e y o u r b a d g e s . 
He 
w i l l 
a l s o h a n d y o u t h e i n f o r m a t i o n y o u n e e d t o go. 
L a d i e s a n d g e n t l e m e n , y o u w i l l 
r e m a i n s e a t e d 
u n t i l 
a f t e r t h e j u r o r s have b e e n 
e x c u s e d . " 
The 
j u r y 
was 
e x c u s e d 
a t 5:21 p.m., 
a f t e r 
w h i c h t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
t r a n s p i r e d : 
"THE COURT: 
[T.D.M.], b a s e d on t h e j u r y f i n d i n g y o u 
g u i l t y o f t h e o f f e n s e 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 , I'm g o i n g t o f i n d y o u g u i l t y o f t h e o f f e n s e 
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 . 
B a s e d on t h e 
j u r y ' s 
v e r d i c t 
o f f i n d i n g 
y o u n o t g u i l t y 
o f t h e 
o f f e n s e o f sodomy i n 
t h e f i r s t d e g r e e , I'm g o i n g t o 
f i n d y o u n o t g u i l t y o f t h e o f f e n s e o f sodomy i n t h e 
f i r s t 
d e g r e e . 
Do y ' a l l want a p r e s e n t e n c e 
r e p o r t ? 
4 
1091645 
" [ D e f e n s e c o u n s e l ] : 
Y e s , Y o u r H o n o r . 
"THE COURT: I s t h e d e f e n d a n t g o i n g t o r e m a i n on 
t h e 
same b o n d ? 
" [ P r o s e c u t o r ] : 
Y e s , s i r . Y o u r H o n o r . 
"THE CLERK: 
E x c u s e me. 
J u d g e . 
"WHEREUPON, an o f f - t h e - r e c o r d d i s c u s s i o n was h e l d . 
"THE COURT: 
The f o r e p e r s o n 
s i g n e d t h e w r o n g one. 
" [ D e f e n s e c o u n s e l ] : 
What h a p p e n e d ? 
"THE COURT: 
They r e a d t h e 
w r o n g v e r d i c t f o r m . 
She 
s i g n e d t h e 
w r o n g v e r d i c t f o r m . 
B r i n g t h e f o r e p e r s o n 
i n . 
... 
"THE COURT: 
[ F o r e p e r s o n ] , 
y o u h a n d e d t h e C o u r t t h e 
j u r y v e r d i c t s a n d y o u r e p r e s e n t e d 
t o t h e C o u r t 
t h a t 
you gave t h e C o u r t i n c o r r e c t 
i n f o r m a t i o n . 
"FOREPERSON: 
Y e s , 
s i r . 
"THE COURT: 
E x p l a i n 
t h a t t o t h e C o u r t . 
"FOREPERSON: 
W e l l , 
when I 
s t o o d 
u p t o r e a d , 
I 
r e a l i z e d t h a t I h a d s i g n e d t h e 
w r o n g one. We a g r e e d 
on b o t h c o u n t s o f g u i l t y . 
"THE 
COURT: 
A n d t h e f o r m 
y o u h a n d e d 
me i s 
i n d i c a t i n g n o t g u i l t y ? 
"FOREPERSON: 
R i g h t . 
"THE COURT: 
A n d y o u a r e s a y i n g 
t h a t i s n o t 
t h e 
j u r y ' s 
v e r d i c t ? 
"FOREPERSON: 
No. 
T h a t w a s n ' t o u r v e r d i c t . 
"THE COURT: 
What s a y s t h e S t a t e ? 
5 
1091645 
" [ P r o s e c u t o r ] : 
Y o u r H o n o r , i t a p p e a r s 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
has b e e n a c l e r i c a l m i s t a k e . 
A n d I t h i n k t h a t 
t h e y 
s h o u l d be a l l o w e d t o a d j u s t 
t h a t . 
" [ D e f e n s e 
c o u n s e l ] : 
J u d g e , 
u n d e r 
d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y 
l a w s , 
t h e 
j u r y — s h e 
s i g n e d 
t h e 
v e r d i c t , 
she 
p u b l i s h e d t h e j u r y 
v e r d i c t and t h e S t a t e d i d 
n o t 
r e q u e s t t h a t t h e j u r y be p o l l e d . 
The C o u r t 
a c t u a l l y 
e n t e r e d j u d g m e n t a f t e r t h a t . 
U n d e r 
d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y 
l a w s , y o u c a n ' t go b a c k and c h a n g e i t . I t i s what 
i t 
i s . I t w o u l d n ' t be any d i f f e r e n t i f 
t h e y r e a d a 
g u i l t y v e r d i c t . 
Once t h e y make t h e v e r d i c t and t h e y 
p u b l i s h 
i t a n d t h e C o u r t 
a c c e p t s 
i t and n e i t h e r 
p a r t y a s k s f o r 
a p o l l i n g o f t h e j u r y , n e i t h e r p a r t y 
o b j e c t e d 
t o a n y t h i n g 
a b o u t 
t h e v e r d i c t s 
and t h e 
C o u r t 
h a s 
a c t u a l l y 
e n t e r e d 
j u d g m e n t 
and 
t h a t 
p r e v e n t s h i m f r o m 
b e i n g p u t b a c k i n j e o p a r d y f o r 
t h a t 
c r i m e . 
" [ P r o s e c u t o r ] : 
Y o u r H o n o r , 
t h i s 
c a s e i s n o t b e i n g 
t r i e d a g a i n . 
T h i s i s p a r t o f t h e p r o c e s s . 
I mean, 
s h e — t h e 
f o r e m a n made a m i s t a k e . 
We d o n ' t 
s u s p e c t 
t h a t 
t h e r e ' s b e e n a n y b a d f a i t h on h e r p a r t , 
j u s t 
human 
e r r o r . 
... 
They 
j u s t 
want t o go i n and 
c o r r e c t what t h e v e r d i c t s h o u l d a c c u r a t e l y r e f l e c t , 
and t h a t ' s a g u i l t y v e r d i c t on b o t h 
c o u n t s . 
"THE COURT: 
We've p u t a l l t h e i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e 
r e c o r d . 
I'm g o i n g t o b r i n g t h e j u r o r s b a c k i n , and 
l e t them make t h e i r r e p r e s e n t a t i o n t o t h e C o u r t . And 
I ' l l 
g i v e 
y ' a l l a c h a n c e t o make an i s s u e . 
S i n c e 
I ' v e a l r e a d y e n t e r e d t h e j u d g m e n t and a c c e p t e d 
t h e s e 
v e r d i c t s , I'm g o i n g t o l e t 
t h a t s t a n d . 
As s o o n as 
I 
r e c e i v e 
y ' a l l ' s 
b r i e f s , 
I ' l l 
r e - a d d r e s s 
t h i s 
i s s u e . 
... 
W e ' l l l e t 
t h e j u r o r s 
c o r r e c t i t 
and 
e x p l a i n as t o t h e r e a s o n why t h e y d i d t h i s . " 
The 
j u r y 
r e t u r n e d t o t h e c o u r t r o o m 
a t 5:30 p.m. 
The 
f o l l o w i n g e x c h a n g e t h e n t o o k p l a c e : 
6 
1091645 
"THE COURT: 
[ F o r e p e r s o n ] , i t ' s my u n d e r s t a n d i n g you 
w o u l d 
l i k e 
t o make 
a 
c o r r e c t i o n 
f o r 
t h e 
C o u r t 
c o n c e r n i n g t h e v e r d i c t . 
What i s t h e j u r y ' s 
v e r d i c t 
as t o c o u n t two 
i n t h e i n d i c t m e n t ? 
"FOREPERSON: 
'We, 
t h e 
j u r y , 
f i n d 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t , 
[T.D.M.], 
g u i l t y 
o f 
t h e 
o f f e n s e 
o f 
sodomy 
f i r s t 
d e g r e e as c h a r g e d i n c o u n t two o f t h e i n d i c t m e n t . ' " 
The 
c o u r t t h e n p o l l e d t h e j u r y . 
E a c h j u r o r a n s w e r e d i n 
t h e 
a f f i r m a t i v e 
t h e q u e s t i o n : " I s t h a t 
y o u r 
v e r d i c t ? " 
The 
c o u r t 
t h e n 
e n t e r e d as 
e x h i b i t s 
t h e 
t h r e e w r i t t e n 
v e r d i c t s , 
r e p r e s e n t i n g a f i n d i n g o f g u i l t y on t h e c h a r g e o f s e x u a l a b u s e 
and 
f i n d i n g s o f b o t h 
g u i l t y and n o t 
g u i l t y on t h e c h a r g e 
o f 
sodomy. 
A t t h e s e n t e n c i n g h e a r i n g 13 months a f t e r t h e 
t r i a l , 
t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t i n f o r m e d t h e p a r t i e s t h a t i t had t r i e d t o 
" c e r t i f y 
t h e m a t t e r " t o t h i s C o u r t and 
t h a t 
t h i s 
C o u r t had 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t t h a t was n o t p o s s i b l e .
1 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t t h e n s t a t e d 
t h a t 
i t 
had 
r e v i e w e d 
t h e 
f i l e 
and 
t h e t e s t i m o n y and 
t h a t 
i t was 
g o i n g 
t o 
f i n d T.D.M. g u i l t y 
on b o t h 
c o u n t s 
and 
r e c e i v e 
t h e 
g u i l t y v e r d i c t f r o m t h e j u r y on t h e sodomy 
c h a r g e . 
1 T h e r e i s no p r o v i s i o n i n A l a b a m a l a w o r i n t h e R u l e s o f 
A p p e l l a t e P r o c e d u r e p r o v i d i n g f o r an A l a b a m a c i r c u i t c o u r t t o 
s u b m i t a c e r t i f i e d q u e s t i o n t o t h e A l a b a m a Supreme C o u r t . 
The 
r e c o r d 
d o e s 
n o t 
c o n t a i n i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s r e p o r t e d q u e r y t o t h i s 
C o u r t . 
7 
1091645 
A f t e r t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s t a t e d t h a t i t 
was g o i n g t o 
f i n d 
T.D.M. g u i l t y on b o t h 
c o u n t s , 
t h e c l e r k was 
c a l l e d by t h e 
p r o s e c u t i o n t o t e s t i f y as t o what h a d t r a n s p i r e d b e t w e e n t h e 
j u r y ' s 
i n i t i a l 
d i s c h a r g e and i t s r e c a l l . 
He 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
t h e j u r o r s h a d b e e n l e a v i n g t h e c o u r t r o o m w h i l e t h e s p e c t a t o r s 
r e m a i n e d i n t h e i r s e a t s . 
The f o r e p e r s o n was t h e l a s t j u r o r t o 
l e a v e , and as she e x i t e d t h e c o u r t r o o m she t o l d t h e c l e r k t h a t 
t h e r e was a p r o b l e m -- t h a t she h a d s i g n e d t h e w r o n g v e r d i c t 
f o r m . 
The c l e r k t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t a l l t h e j u r o r s t h e n 
h u d d l e d 
a r o u n d h i m o u t s i d e t h e c o u r t r o o m d o o r . 
He 
s t a t e d 
t h a t he 
c l o s e d t h e d o o r , s p o k e w i t h t h e f o r e p e r s o n 
b r i e f l y t o c l a r i f y 
what she was s a y i n g , t h e n t o l d t h e j u r o r s t o r e m a i n where 
t h e y 
were w h i l e he i n f o r m e d t h e j u d g e . 
The c l e r k t e s t i f i e d t h a t he 
d i d 
n o t know w h e t h e r t h e j u r o r s 
d i s c u s s e d 
t h e c a s e 
among 
t h e m s e l v e s b e t w e e n t h e i n i t i a l 
d i s c h a r g e 
and t h e r e c a l l and 
t h a t 
" t h e r e 
c o u l d have b e e n " b y s t a n d e r s 
i n t h e h a l l a t t h e 
same t i m e t h e j u r y was t h e r e , b u t t h a t he d i d n o t remember. 
The 
c l e r k 
l e f t 
t h e 
j u r o r s 
o u t s i d e 
t h e 
c o u r t r o o m , 
b y 
t h e m s e l v e s , w h i l e he r e e n t e r e d t h e c o u r t r o o m t o s p e a k w i t h t h e 
j u d g e . 
The c l e r k c o u l d n o t t e s t i f y as t o w h e t h e r any o f t h e 
8 
1091645 
j u r o r s 
d i s c u s s e d t h e c a s e 
w i t h 
e a c h 
o t h e r 
o r w i t h a n y 
b y s t a n d e r s d u r i n g h i s a b s e n c e . 
A f t e r t h e c l e r k 
t e s t i f i e d , 
o t h e r w i t n e s s e s gave 
t h e i r 
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s 
f o r a 
p r i s o n 
t e r m , 
f o r f i n e s , 
a n d 
f o r 
r e s t i t u t i o n . 
A t t h e e n d o f t h e h e a r i n g , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s e n t e n c e d T.D.M. t o t h r e e y e a r s i n 
t h e 
s t a t e p e n i t e n t i a r y f o r 
b o t h c o u n t s , t h e s e n t e n c e s t o r u n c o n c u r r e n t l y . 
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 i s c a s e p r e s e n t s 
a q u e s t i o n o f l a w . The s t a n d a r d f o r 
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 K e y , 890 So. 
2d 
1056, 1059 ( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
O b v i o u s d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y 
i m p l i c a t i o n s 
a r i s e when a 
j u r y 
t h a t h a s b e e n 
d i s c h a r g e d i s r e c a l l e d a n d t h e n amends i t s 
v e r d i c t . 
The q u e s t i o n f o r d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y p u r p o s e s i s what 
c o n s t i t u t e s " d i s c h a r g e . " 
The 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
b e g a n 
i t s a n a l y s i s b y 
n o t i n g t h e 
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 . 
T.D.M., 
So. 
3d a t 
. 
T h a t c o u r t t h e n r e v i e w e d 
f e d e r a l c a s e s a n d c a s e s 
f r o m 
o t h e r 
9 
1091645 
s t a t e s , some h o l d i n g t h a t a t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s d e c l a r a t i o n t h a t a 
j u r y i s 
d i s c h a r g e d i m m e d i a t e l y f o r e c l o s e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f 
a m e n d i n g 
t h e v e r d i c t , 
a n d 
o t h e r s 
a d o p t i n g 
" f u n c t i o n a l " 
a p p r o a c h e s t o i d e n t i f y i n g t h e 
moment o f e f f e c t i v e , o r l e g a l , 
d i s c h a r g e . 
I d . The " f u n c t i o n a l " a p p r o a c h e s 
d e f i n e d i s c h a r g e 
v a r i o u s l y i n t e r m s o f w h e t h e r t h e j u r y h a s 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 o r 
h a s 
h a d 
t h e 
o p p o r t u n i t y t o d i s c u s s 
t h e c a s e w i t h " o u t s i d e r s , " t h e r e b y c r e a t i n g t h e 
p o s s i b i l i t y o f 
t a m p e r i n g . I d . 
The 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s , 
i m p l i c i t l y 
a d o p t i n g a 
f u n c t i o n a l 
a p p r o a c h t o d e t e r m i n i n g t h e moment o f e f f e c t i v e 
d i s c h a r g e , h e l d t h a t T.D.M.'s d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y r i g h t s h a d n o t 
b e e n 
v i o l a t e d . I t b a s e d 
i t s 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n on t h e f o l l o w i n g 
r a t i o n a l e : 
" [ T ] h e 
j u r y 
r e m a i n e d 
on t h e t h i r d 
f l o o r 
o f t h e 
c o u r t h o u s e b e t w e e n t h e 
t i m e t h e 
j u d g e a n n o u n c e d t h a t 
t h e 
members 
were 
d i s c h a r g e d 
u n t i l 
t h e t i m e t h e 
f o r e m a n i n f o r m e d t h e c l e r k 
t h a t she h a d s i g n e d t h e 
w r o n g f o r m . The j u r y members h a d n o t d i s p e r s e d o r 
c o n v e r s e d w i t h o u t s i d e r s . The j u r o r s h a d r e m a i n e d i n 
t h e 
h a l l w a y 
j u s t 
o u t s i d e 
t h e d o o r w a y 
o f t h e 
c o u r t r o o m , a n d t h e f o r e m a n i m m e d i a t e l y b r o u g h t t h e 
m i s t a k e 
t o t h e c l e r k ' s 
a t t e n t i o n . 
T h e r e 
was no  
e v i d e n c e o f a n y t a m p e r i n g 
w i t h t h e members o f 
t h e 
 
j u r y . 
Once 
t h e members 
were 
p o l l e d , 
t h e y 
a l l 
c o n f i r m e d t h e v e r d i c t as i t 
h a d b e e n i n t e n d e d . ... 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e r e 
was no 
v i o l a t i o n 
o f T.D.M.'s 
d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y 
r i g h t s . " 
10 
1091645 
So. 3d a t 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
I n d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t T.D.M.'s d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y 
r i g h t s h a d 
n o t b e e n 
v i o l a t e d , 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 
r e l i e d on 
c a s e s f r o m o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n s and on t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e was 
no 
e v i d e n c e 
o f 
t a m p e r i n g . 
We 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
A l a b a m a 
j u r i s p r u d e n c e h a s s u f f i c i e n t l y a d d r e s s e d t h e q u e s t i o n o f when 
a j u r y h a s e f f e c t i v e l y b e e n d i s c h a r g e d t o s u p p o r t an a n a l y s i s 
t h a t 
f o c u s e s on 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 
r a t h e r 
t h a n on e v i d e n c e o f t a m p e r i n g . 
Thus, A l a b a m a 
c a s e s 
h a v e 
t u r n e d on t h e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t a m p e r i n g 
o r 
i m p r o p e r 
e x t r a j u d i c i a l 
c o n t a c t e v e n i n c a s e s 
t h a t 
p r e s e n t e d 
s t r o n g 
e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t no j u r y t a m p e r i n g o r i m p r o p e r c o n t a c t 
had o c c u r r e d . 
I n A l a b a m a , a j u r y may amend i t s 
v e r d i c t 
a t any 
t i m e 
b e f o r e i t 
i s d i s c h a r g e d , b u t " i t 
i s e q u a l l y 
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 Mut.  
I n s . Co. v. S t u a r t , 395 So. 2d 980, 986 ( A l a . 
1981) 
( 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 ) ) . P r e f e r r e d  
R i s k and o t h e r c a s e s f r o m t h i s C o u r t have p r o v i d e d c o n s i s t e n t 
g u i d a n c e as t o when a j u r y i s " d i s c h a r g e d " f o r a l l p u r p o s e s . 
11 
1091645 
In 
B r i s t e r v. S t a t e , 26 A l a . 107 
( 1 8 5 5 ) , t h e j u r y 
r e a d 
i t s 
v e r d i c t a l o u d i n c o u r t and was d i s m i s s e d b e f o r e t h e j u d g e 
r e a l i z e d 
t h a t some d e f e n d a n t s , 
who h a d b e e n p l a c e d i n 
j a i l , 
were 
n o t i n t h e 
c o u r t r o o m 
when 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
was 
r e a d . 
R e c o g n i z i n g t h a t t h e p r i s o n e r s h a d a r i g h t t o be p r e s e n t when 
t h e v e r d i c t was r e a d , t h e j u d g e r e c a l l e d t h e j u r y . 
The 
j u r y 
had b e e n " d i s c h a r g e d , " and t h e j u r o r s h a d s t a r t e d t o l e a v e t h e 
c o u r t r o o m 
b u t "had n o t g o t o u t o f t h e b a r " when t h e y 
were 
r e c a l l e d . 
26 A l a . a t 117. 
T h i s C o u r t h e l d t h a t t h e j u r y h a d 
n o t 
b e e n 
d i s c h a r g e d 
" i n l e g a l 
c o n t e m p l a t i o n " 
and t h a t t h e 
d i s c h a r g e 
"was r e v o c a b l e by t h e c o u r t f o r a t i m e , and was 
r e v o k e d 
i n due 
t i m e " 
b e c a u s e t h e r e v o c a t i o n 
"was 
a l m o s t 
i n s t a n t a n e o u s 
and w h i l s t 
t h e j u r y , 
as a b o d y , were 
s t i l l 
c o n t i n u i n g t o be i n t h e b a r , and i n t h e p r e s e n c e and power o f  
t h e c o u r t . " 
26 A l a . a t 132 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
In Cook v . S t a t e , 60 A l a . 
39 ( 1 8 7 7 ) , 
t h i s C o u r t e x p r e s s l y 
d e c l i n e d t o e x t e n d 
B r i s t e r . 
I n Cook, t h e j u r o r s 
r e a d t h e 
v e r d i c t and were d i s c h a r g e d , 
a f t e r w h i c h two o f 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 , 
" a l l o f t h e o t h e r s r e m a i n i n g 
t h e r e i n . " 
60 
A l a . 
a t 40. When t h e c o u r t d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t h a d 
b e e n a b s e n t 
d u r i n g t h e r e a d i n g o f t h e v e r d i c t , t h e two j u r o r s 
12 
1091645 
were r e c a l l e d and a s e c o n d v e r d i c t r e t u r n e d . 
The two j u r o r s 
had 
b e e n gone o n l y 
f i v e m i n u t e s and s t a t e d u n d e r o a t h 
t h a t 
t h e y h a d n o t d i s c u s s e d t h e c a s e w i t h anyone w h i l e 
t h e y 
were 
a b s e n t f r o m t h e c o u r t r o o m . 
I d . 
T h i s C o u r t 
s t i l l h e l d t h a t i t 
was 
e r r o r f o r t h e j u r o r s t o have b e e n 
r e c a l l e d t o r e t u r n a 
v e r d i c t 
a f t e r 
t h e 
j u r o r s 
h a d 
d i s p e r s e d , 
e v e n 
t h o u g h 
t h e 
v e r d i c t 
d i d n o t 
c h a n g e 
b e t w e e n 
t h e 
r e a d i n g 
o f t h e 
f i r s t 
v e r d i c t and t h e r e a d i n g o f t h e s e c o n d . 
60 A l a . a t 41-42. 
The 
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 i n Hayes v. S t a t e , 44 A l a . App. 
499, 5 0 1 - 0 2 , 214 So. 2d 708 
( 1 9 6 8 ) , 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 
i t s v e r d i c t i n 
c o u r t 
and 
was 
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 h a d 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 h a d 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 
13 
1091645 
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 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 
w h i c h i s 
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. 2d 
a t 710 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
T h i s C o u r t a g a i n e x a m i n e d t h e q u e s t i o n i n P r e f e r r e d 
R i s k , 
s u p r a , where a j u r y was r e c a l l e d t o 
r e c o n s i d e r 
i t s 
v e r d i c t 
a f t e r i t 
h a d b e e n d i s c h a r g e d . 
A f t e r t h e j u r y i n 
P r e f e r r e d 
 
R i s k h a d r e t u r n e d i t s 
v e r d i c t and h a d b e e n d i s c h a r g e d , t h e 
j u r o r s moved f r o m t h e j u r y b o x b u t r e m a i n e d i n t h e c o u r t r o o m 
w h i l e t h e j u d g e and d e f e n s e 
c o u n s e l 
l e f t t h e c o u r t r o o m . 
A 
j u r o r 
t h e n a p p r o a c h e d 
p l a i n t i f f ' s 
c o u n s e l and s t a r t e d an ex 
p a r t e 
c o n v e r s a t i o n 
w i t h 
h i m 
c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e 
j u r y ' s 
u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f i t s v e r d i c t . 
B a s e d on t h a t c o n v e r s a t i o n , t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s 
c o u n s e l summoned d e f e n s e c o u n s e l t o t h e j u d g e ' s 
c h a m b e r s . 
As a r e s u l t o f t h e e n s u i n g c o n v e r s a t i o n , t h e j u d g e 
r e a s s e m b l e d 
t h e 
j u r y , 
t h e 
j u r y 
was 
a s k e d 
t o 
d e l i b e r a t e 
f u r t h e r , a n d a new v e r d i c t 
r e s u l t e d . 
395 So. 2d a t 981-85. 
The 
j u r y i n P r e f e r r e d 
R i s k , 
u n l i k e t h e j u r i e s i n B r i s t e r and 
14 
1091645 
H a y e s , 
d i d 
n o t 
p h y s i c a l l y 
l e a v e 
t h e 
c o u r t r o o m 
b e t w e e n 
d i s c h a r g e 
and 
r e c a l l . 
The 
C o u r t i n 
P r e f e r r e d R i s k u l t i m a t e l y 
d e t e r m i n e d t h a t an 
e f f e c t i v e 
d i s c h a r g e 
was 
one 
i n w h i c h 
t h e 
j u r y i s " f r e e f r o m t h e c o n s t a n t 
s u p e r v i s i o n and 
a u t h o r i t y o f 
t h e c o u r t , " 395 
So. 2d a t 987 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) , and 
d e t e r m i n e d 
t h a t t h e s e c o n d v e r d i c t was 
e r r o r . 
I d . a t 
988. 
As 
n o t e d a b o v e , 
a 
c r i t i c a l 
c o n c e r n 
r a i s e d by 
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 t u r n i n g o f a 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 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 
by 
any 
p e r s o n ' " 
o r 
"'any 
o u t s i d e 
i n f l u e n c e ' " 
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 T.D.M.'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 
r e c a l l . 
The 
c l e r k 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t he c o u l d n o t remember w h e t h e r t h e r e were 
b y s t a n d e r s 
i n t h e 
h a l l w a y 
w h i l e 
he 
was 
t h e r e 
w i t h 
t h e 
j u r y , 
and 
he 
c o u l d n o t know what t r a n s p i r e d w h i l e 
t h e 
j u r y was 
i n 
t h e h a l l w a y 
a l o n e . 
T h e r e was 
an o p p o r t u n i t y 
f o r an 
" o u t s i d e 
15 
1091645 
i n f l u e n c e " t o h a v e b e e n b r o u g h t t o b e a r on t h e j u r o r s b e t w e e n 
t h e 
j u r y ' s d i s c h a r g e and i t s r e c a l l . 
A n o t h e r 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 s t a n d a r d 
s e t 
o u t by 
t h i s C o u r t i n P r e f e r r e d R i s k i s s t r i n g e n t : 
" I n 
E d w a r d s v. S e a b o a r d C o a s t L i n e R. Co., A l a . , 38 4 
So. 2d 96 
( 1 9 8 0 ) , t h i s C o u r t r e f u s e d t o 
c o u n t e n a n c e 
d i s c u s s i o n s b e t w e e n t h e 
t r i a l 
j u d g e and 
i n d i v i d u a l 
j u r o r s 
i n c h a m b e r s , 
e v e n 
t h o u g h 
t h e 
w e l l - m e a n i n g 
t r i a l 
j u d g e 
h a d 
i n 
h i s 
own 
v i e w 
s u b s t a n t i a l l y 
r e c i t e d f o r t h e r e c o r d t h e e n t i r e c o n v e r s a t i o n s . 
Our 
c o n c e r n 
was 
n o t 
o n l y 
f o r t h e 
i m p a r t i a l i t y 
o f 
t h e 
t r i b u n a l b u t f o r t h e a p p e a r a n c e 
o f i m p a r t i a l i t y 
as 
w e l l : 
"'Whether o r n o t 
i n j u r y 
o r 
i n j u s t i c e 
has r e s u l t e d t o t h e l i t i g a n t s by r e a s o n o f 
t h e 
c o n d u c t , 
i s n o t o u r p r i m a r y c o n c e r n . 
R a t h e r , o u r c o n c e r n i s w i t h t h e 
i m p l i c a t i o n 
t h a t 
a t t a c h e s 
t o 
t h e 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
o f 
j u s t i c e 
u n d e r 
t h e s e 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s . 
C o n f i d e n c e 
i n 
o u r 
j u d i c i a l 
s y s t e m 
i s 
i m p e r i l e d i f s u c h c o n d u c t i s c o u n t e n a n c e d 
i n 
j u r y 
t r i a l s . 
C o n d u c t 
w h i c h 
i f p r o v e d 
w o u l d g i v e r i s e t o d o u b t and d i s r e s p e c t , o r 
t h e mere a p p e a r a n c e o f s u c h c o n d u c t as 
w i l l 
n o t 
meet 
w i t h 
t h e 
a p p r o v a l 
o f 
p u b l i c 
o p i n i o n , must be s e v e r e l y condemned. 
I t i s 
o n l y t h r o u g h t h e g r a n t i n g o f a new 
t r i a l i n 
s i t u a t i o n s 
l i k e 
t h i s , 
as w e l l as 
v i g i l a n t 
e f f o r t s 
by 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
o f t h e 
c o u r t 
t o 
p r e v e n t 
s u c h 
o c c u r r e n c e s , 
t h a t 
p u b l i c 
c o n f i d e n c e 
i n 
t h e 
j u r y 
s y s t e m 
may 
be 
p r e s e r v e d . 
R a s m u s s e n v. 
M i l l e r , 
268 
W i s . 
436, 
68 N.W.2d 16, 
18 
[ ( 1 9 5 5 ) ] . 
[ Q u o t i n g 
16 
1091645 
f r o m D a n i e l s v . B l o o m q u i s t , 
258 Iowa 3 0 1 , 
138 N.W.2d 868, 
872 
( 1 9 6 5 ) . ] ' 
" I n o u r v i e w , 
t h o s e 
s t a t e m e n t s 
a p p l y 
w i t h 
e q u a l 
f o r c e t o t h e s i t u a t i o n 
b e f o r e u s . I t i s d o u b t f u l 
t h a t t h e 
p u r e s t m o t i v e s f o r 
e x a c t i n g d u p l i c a t i o n 
c a n 
c o m p l e t e l y a n d p e r f e c t l y r e p e a t what may h a v e b e e n 
e x c h a n g e d b e t w e e n 
l a w y e r a n d j u r o r when b o t h 
h a v e 
b e e n 
r e l e a s e d 
f r o m 
t h e d i r e c t 
c o n t r o l 
o f t h e 
s u p e r v i s i n g 
j u d g e , 
o r 
t h a t 
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 
c a n be r e m o v e d . 
The e l i m i n a t i o n o f 
s u s p i c i o n i n s u c h i n s t a n c e s i s 
t o o 
much o f a b u r d e n 
on 
j u d g e s a n d l a w y e r s 
a l i k e , 
w h a t e v e r t h e m o t i v e s 
f o r 
t h e 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n , 
when 
t h e 
l a t e n t 
d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n s 
w i t h 
a d h o c d e c i s i o n s 
on 
s u c h 
i s s u e s a r e a v a i l a b l e t o t h o s e who a l r e a d y 
f i n d i t 
e a s y 
t o 
c r i t i c i z e 
t h e j u d i c i a l 
s y s t e m 
a n d i t s 
p a r t i c i p a n t s . 
The 
i n t e g r i t y 
o f t h e 
s p e c i f i c 
d e c i s i o n a n d t h a t o f 
t h e 
e n t i r e s y s t e m a r e 
a f f e c t e d . 
R e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e 
n e e d t o p r e v e n t 
s u c h 
o c c u r r e n c e s 
i s n o t t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f some mean 
t e c h n i c a l i t y . 
What we 
d e a l 
w i t h 
h e r e i s a t t h e v e r y 
r o o t a n d 
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 . 
The i n t e g r i t y o f 
t h a t 
s y s t e m d o e s n o t p e r m i t 
s u c h 
i n s t a n c e s t o be 
d e c i d e d b y ' t h e 
l e n g t h o f t h e c h a n c e l l o r ' s f o o t . ' " 
395 So. 2d a t 
987. 
The a p p e a r a n c e o f i m p r o p r i e t y i s l i k e w i s e a c o n c e r n u n d e r 
t h e f a c t s b e f o r e u s . The c l e r k who e s c o r t e d T.D.M.'s j u r y 
o u t 
o f 
t h e c o u r t r o o m , 
who 
s p o k e 
w i t h 
them 
a l o n e 
w h i l e t h e 
c o u r t r o o m 
d o o r was c l o s e d , who 
i n f o r m e d 
t h e c o u r t o f 
t h e 
p r o b l e m w i t h t h e i n i t i a l v e r d i c t , a n d 
who was t h e 
o n l y 
w i t n e s s 
t o 
t e s t i f y 
l a t e r 
r e g a r d i n g 
t h o s e 
e v e n t s , 
h a d b e e n 
a 
p r o s p e c t i v e 
j u r o r i n 
T.D.M.'s c a s e . 
He was s t r u c k f r o m t h e 
17 
1091645 
j u r y f o r c a u s e b e c a u s e he s t a t e d d u r i n g v o i r d i r e t h a t he 
was 
c e r t a i n , w i t h o u t h a v i n g h e a r d any e v i d e n c e , 
t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t 
was 
g u i l t y 
o f 
" s o m e t h i n g " 
by 
v i r t u e 
o f 
t h e 
c h i l d ' s 
h a v i n g 
a c c u s e d 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
and 
t h e 
c h i l d ' s 
p e r s i s t e n c e 
i n 
h e r 
a c c u s a t i o n s 
t h r o u g h o u t 
t h e 
c r i m i n a l p r o c e e d i n g s . 
T h a t 
an 
o f f i c e r 
o f t h e c o u r t can 
c o n s t i t u t e an i m p r o p e r o r 
" o u t s i d e " 
i n f l u e n c e 
on 
a j u r o r , h o w e v e r i n n o c e n t 
t h e 
o f f i c e r ' s 
i n t e n t 
and 
b e h a v i o r , 
has 
b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d . 
See, 
e.g., 
E d w a r d s 
v. 
 
S e a b o a r d C o a s t L i n e R.R., 
384 
So. 
2d 
96 
( A l a . 1980) 
( h o l d i n g 
i t 
i m p r o p e r f o r a 
t r i a l 
j u d g e t o have had 
c o n v e r s a t i o n s 
w i t h 
two 
i n d i v i d u a l j u r o r s d u r i n g b r e a k s i n t h e 
t r i a l , 
o u t s i d e 
t h e 
p r e s e n c e o f c o u n s e l and t h e r e s t o f t h e j u r y , h o w e v e r p u r e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
j u d g e ' s 
i n t e n t i o n s ) . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
The 
j u r y 
i n 
T.D.M.'s 
t r i a l , 
w h i l e 
i n 
t h e 
h a l l w a y 
u n a t t e n d e d , was 
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 
t h e 
c o u r t . 
I t i s a l s o c l e a r t h a t t h e j u r y had 
an o p p o r t u n i t y 
t o 
c o m m u n i c a t e 
w i t h , 
and, 
i n 
f a c t , 
d i d 
c o m m u n i c a t e 
w i t h , 
an 
" o u t s i d e 
i n f l u e n c e " 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
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 
r e c a l l . 
A l l o w i n g t h e amended v e r d i c t t o 
s t a n d 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e w o u l d 
c r e a t e 
an 
" a p p e a r a n c e 
o f 
i m p r o p r i e t y , " 
18 
1091645 
t h o u g h we h a v e no r e a s o n t o d o u b t t h a t t h e 
c l e r k ' s 
i n t e n t i o n s 
were h o n o r a b l e a n d h i s s u b s e q u e n t t e s t i m o n y 
t r u t h f u l . 
The 
j u r y d e l i v e r e d a v e r d i c t t h a t was s u f f i c i e n t a n d t h a t 
became 
l e g a l when i t 
was a c c e p t e d b y t h e c o u r t .
2 
The j u r y 
t h e n 
l e f t t h e p r e s e n c e a n d s u p e r v i s i o n o f t h e c o u r t . 
A f t e r 
t h a t , t h e j u r y 
d i d n o t h a v e t h e 
power t o a l t e r i t s 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 v e r d i c t 
t h a t was 
p r o p e r l y 
d e l i v e r e d f o u n d T.D.M. " n o t 
g u i l t y " o f sodomy 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 . 
A n y s u b s e q u e n t 
a l t e r a t i o n o f t h a t 
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 T.D.M. 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 h a d b e e n 
a c q u i t t e d o f a n d w o u l d 
t h e r e b y v i o l a t e h i s d o u b l e - j e o p a r d y 
r i g h t s 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 a n d 
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.D.M.'s 
c o n v i c t i o n 
f o r f i r s t - d e g r e e sodomy t h e r e f o r e must be r e v e r s e d 
2 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 Lamb, [Ms. 
1091668, O c t o b e r 28, 2011] 
So. 3d 
( 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 a n d 
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 c a n 
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 a n d 
t h e 
c o u r t a n d 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 . 
19 
1091645 
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. 
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 , 
M u r d o c k , and Shaw, J J . , c o n c u r . 
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 . 
20