Source: http://academy.lawofselfdefense.com/law_case/state-v-scroggins-433-p-2d-117-id-supreme-court-1967/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 03:48:53+00:00

Document:
STATE of Idaho, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Duke Clarence SCROGGINS, Defendant-Respondent.
Rehearing Denied November 16, 1967.
Allan G. Shepard, Atty. Gen., and Roger B. Wright, Deputy Atty. Gen., Boise, for appellant.
Clark & Lyon, Pocatello, for respondent.
Respondent Scroggins was adjudged guilty of the offense of assault with a deadly weapon. The district court granted him a new trial upon his motion therefor alleging prejudice to him arising from the jury’s knowledge of a certain newspaper article and from asserted improper jury instructions.
Appellant (plaintiff) State of Idaho has appealed from the order granting a new trial, assigning error committed by the trial court in entering the order, first, “on the basis of an affidavit of a third party [respondent’s counsel] as to the statements of members of the jury subsequent to the trial,” and second, “on the basis of Instructions Nos. 18 and 19 given to the jury.” It cannot be determined from the record whether the order granting the new trial was based upon either or both of the grounds advanced therefor. It is thus necessary to determine whether either constitutes a proper basis for the granting of a new trial.
It has long been the law in this state that a jury’s verdict, and its asserted misconduct in the jury room cannot be impeached by affidavit or otherwise save only if the verdict was determined by chance. State v. Bedwell, 77 Idaho 57, 286 P.2d 641 (1955); State v. Miller, 65 Idaho 756, 154 P.2d 147 (1944); State v. Cacavas, 55 Idaho 538, 44 P.2d 1110 (1935); State v. Farnsworth, 51 Idaho 768, 10 P.2d 295 (1932); State v. Jester, 46 Idaho 561, 270 P. 417 (1928); State v. Boykin, 40 Idaho 536, 234 P. 157 (1925); State v. Abbott, 38 Idaho 61 and 66, 213 P. 1024 and 224 P. 791 (1923); State v. Rigley, 7 Idaho 292, 62 P. 679 (1900); State v. Murphy, 7 Idaho 183, 61 P. 462 (1900); State v. Davis, 6 Idaho 159, 53 P. 678 (1898); I.C. § 10-602.
We are constrained to the view that the newspaper article referred to in the instant case presents neither the degree of publicity nor the prejudice inherent in the referred to United States Supreme Court cases. Moreover, “Something must be presumed for the intelligence and fairness of the jurymen.” Watkins v. Mountain Home Co-op. Irr. Co., 33 Idaho 623, 638, 197 P. 247, 251 (1921).
Appellant’s first assignment of error is meritorious.
Appellant contends that the reasoning of Instruction No. 18 has been expressly approved by this court, and that the reasoning of Instruction No. 19 has been closely followed. Such appears to be true. State v. Fleming, 17 Idaho 471, 106 P. 305 (1910); State v. Bush, 50 Idaho 166, 295 P. 432 (1930) (justifiable circumstances); State v. Grover, 35 Idaho 589, 207 P. 1080 (1922); State v. Jurko, 42 Idaho 319, 245 P. 685 (1926) (justifiable degree of force). The first instruction closely follows the language of the justifiable homicide statute of this state. See I.C. §§ 18-4009 and 18-4010.
Respondent misconstrues the purpose and effect of the standard of the reasonable man. Such test is not designed to require detached reflection from the victim, but rather is designed to prevent excessive force under the circumstances on the part of the person claiming self-defense. It thus is a protective measure for the original aggressor-victim. It merely requires that the conduct employed by one who claims self-defense be reasonable. State v. Woodward, supra, does not deviate from that test. The quoted language from that opinion, by requiring that the intention to execute an attack be “reasonably apparent” to the victim, merely reiterates the standard in slightly different language.
The trial court did not commit error in giving the two aforesaid instructions inasmuch as they contain correct statements of the law of this state.
The order granting a new trial is reversed.
TAYLOR, C. J., and McQUADE, McFADDEN and SPEAR, JJ., concur.

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