Title: Waye v. State
Citation: 255 Ind. 136, 263 N.E.2d 165
Docket Number: 268S35
State: Indiana
Issuer: Indiana Supreme Court
Date: October 26, 1970

255 Ind. 136 (1970)
263 N.E.2d 165
WAYE
v.
STATE OF INDIANA.
No. 268S35.

Supreme Court of Indiana.
Filed October 26, 1970.
Carl J. Sandy, of Lafayette, for appellant.
Theodore L. Sendak, Attorney General, Richard V. Bennett, Deputy Attorney General, for appellee.
No petition for rehearing filed.
GIVAN, J.
Appellant was found guilty of the crime of second degree burglary after a trial by jury. Appellant was sentenced to the Indiana State Prison for a term of not less than two nor more than five years.
Although appellant assigns as error the overruling of his motion for a new trial and his belated motion for new trial, the only argument which appellant presents to this Court concerns alleged misconduct of the jury in what appellant claims is an unauthorized view of the premises. The other issues which were raised in appellant's motions for new trial and in his assignment of errors were neither briefed nor argued before this Court, and are, therefore, *137 deemed to have been waived. Krivanek v. State (1969), 252 Ind. 277, 247 N.E.2d 505, 17 Ind. Dec. 489.
The appellant was accused of burglarizing a business establishment in downtown Lafayette, Indiana, known as Wagon Wheel, Inc., doing business as the Fireside Lounge.
A police officer had testified at the trial that while seated in his patrol car at an intersection some 200 feet from the building in question he observed the appellant emerge from the building.
Affidavits submitted by the foreman of the jury and one other member of the jury read as follows:
The State filed the affidavit of the bailiff, which affidavit reads as follows:
The appellant recognizes the well established principle that jurors cannot impeach their own verdicts. Krivanek, supra; Luck v. State (1884), 96 Ind. 16. The appellant, however, maintains that this case falls within an exception to the rule in that jurors made an unauthorized visit to the scene of the crime, and the influence of this unauthorized view is admissible under the rules set out under Conrad v. State (1896), 144 Ind. 290, 43 N.E. 221.
An examination of the affidavits filed in this case, however, discloses that the factual situation here more nearly parallels that in Luck, supra, rather than in Conrad. In Luck the Court held that the mere fact that the jury walked past the scene of the crime is not prejudicial unless they were subjected to improper influences.
In Conrad it was pointed out that 11 of the 12 jurors made an unauthorized visit to the jail to view the chambers where an alleged unsuccessful suicide attempt had taken place. The Court distinguished the Conrad factual situation from Luck by stating:
We find nothing in the case at bar to parallel the situation before the Court in Conrad. In the case at bar the factual situation as set out in the affidavits does not indicate that any special trip was made to view the premises. The jurors were simply on a direct route from the courthouse to a nearby restaurant when they passed within sight of the scene of the crime. There is no indication in any of the affidavits that any third person communicated with them concerning their viewing of the scene or that they had any type of meeting at the scene or conducted any experiments. The mere fact that they passed near the scene of the alleged incident appears to have had no more influence upon their determination than the fact that the scene was a public location in downtown Lafayette. The trial court entertained both the affidavits of the jurors and the affidavit of the bailiff and did not find cause for the granting of a new trial. We find no error in the trial court's ruling.
We feel that this case comes within the principles enunciated in Luck, supra. We would point out, however, the Court in Luck saw fit to criticize the bailiff for his activities in that case. We do not find this to be the situation in the case at bar. There is no indication that the bailiff in any way conducted himself in an improper manner.
The trial court is in all things affirmed.
Hunter, C.J., Arterburn and DeBruler, JJ., concur; Jackson, J., dissents with opinion.
JACKSON, J.
I am unable to concur in the majority opinion and dissent thereto.
*142 Appellant was convicted of the crime of Second Degree Burglary, after a jury trial, in the Superior Court of Tippecanoe County. The affidavit charging the appellant with the crime was filed on March 27, 1967, and reads in pertinent part as follows:
The statute under which the appellant was charged is Ind. Ann. Stat. § 10-701(b) (1956), which reads as follows:
*143 On December 1, 1967, the appellant was sentenced to the Indiana State Prison for a term of not less than two (2) nor more than five (5) years.
Appellant's motion for a new trial was filed on November 28, 1967, and was overruled on December 1, 1967. On December 22, 1967, the appellant filed a Motion To Reconsider And Belated Motion For New Trial, which was amended on January 11, 1968. In the motion to reconsider the appellant alleged certain jury misconduct, which was contained in the affidavits of two of the members of the jury which tried the appellant. The State filed a counter affidavit on January 16, 1968. On February 13, 1968, the trial court overruled the appellant's Amended Motion to Reconsider and Belated Motion for New Trial.
On appeal the appellant assigns as error the overruling of his motion for a new trial as well as the overruling of his amended motion to reconsider and belated motion for new trial.
From the evidence adduced at trial it appears that at about 3:00 to 3:30 a.m. on March 21, 1967, Officer Edward L. Moser of the Lafayette Police Department was patrolling alone in a squad car near the vicinity of Columbia and 5th Streets in the City of Lafayette, Indiana. While traveling eastbound on Columbia, Officer Moser entered the intersection of Columbia and 5th, and stopped approximately in the center of the intersection and looked north along 5th Street to check for illegally parked vehicles. He then noticed a rather short man, subsequently identified as Harry W. Morinskey, Jr., standing in front of the Fireside Lounge, and a man whom he identified as the appellant in a crouched position coming out of the door of the Lounge.
Officer Moser testified that the Fireside Lounge, a tavern, is the third business on the west side of 5th Street, and approximately 150 to 200 feet north of Columbia. Officer Moser *144 stated that at the time he saw the suspects, 5th Street at that location was illuminated by "regular standard street lights", as well as an all night light in the parking area immediately north of the Lounge. He further said that the door to the Fireside Longe is flush with the building.
Upon observing the two men Officer Moser turned north on 5th and gave chase to the suspects as they fled west through the adjacent parking lot and driveway. Officer Moser apprehended Morinskey after firing a warning shot. The appellant was apprehended by other police officers who responded to Officer Moser's radio message.
Officer Moser stated that upon returning to the tavern he found that the bottom half of the front door glass had been broken out. He also found some broken green glass which appeared to be pieces of a coffee cup. Further investigation disclosed that nothing inside the Lounge had been disturbed.
On cross examination Officer Moser testified that the distance between the aluminum crossbar at the middle of the door and the bottom of the door was approximately thirty inches. He further stated that there was no evidence to indicate that anyone had been inside the tavern. Finally, Officer Moser testified that in spite of the somewhat dark conditions he was positive that he saw the appellant coming through the bottom portion of the door. The officer's testimony seems to be conflicting as to whether or not the tavern was in fact entered.
Harry W. Morinskey, Jr., the alleged accomplice of the appellant, took the stand and testified that he, his wife and the appellant left the Morinskey home in an automobile and later drove up in front of the Fireside Lounge. He stated that he got out of the car and threw a cup through the window of the tavern. He then got back into the car and they drove around the corner and then into the parking lot where they waited for a few minutes. He stated that he and Waye then left the car and went to the tavern, and that shortly after *145 arriving there the police came. He testified that neither he nor the appellant ever entered the building.
Although the appellant assigns as error the overruling of his motion for a new trial and amended motion to reconsider and belated motion for new trial, the only argument which the appellant presents to this court concerns the prejudicial effect of the alleged jury misconduct. The other issues present in appellant's assignment of errors which were neither briefed nor argued by the appellant before this Court are thereby deemed to have been waived. Lambert v. State (1969), 252 Ind. 441, 249 N.E.2d 502; Krivanek v. State (1969), 252 Ind. 277, 247 N.E.2d 505; McGill v. State (1969), 252 Ind. 293, 247 N.E.2d 514.
The affidavits of the jurors upon which the appellant relies read in pertinent part as follows:
The elements of the crime of second degree burglary are: (1) breaking, (2) entry, (3) into a building or structure other than a dwelling house or place of human habitation, and (4) the intent to commit a felony. It is appellant's contention that the alleged unauthorized view of the premises by the jury amounted to the reception of evidence de hors the record which tended to establish the requisite element of entry, and thereby deprived the appellant of his Sixth Amendment right to a trial by an impartial jury on the basis of the evidence in the record.
The State contends that there was, in fact, no view and points to the following affidavit of the bailiff in support of its position:
The State further contends that if there was a view the evidentiary effect of it could only have been cumulative as to the question of entry in that Officer Moser had previously testified that he saw the appellant "coming out" of the building. The State also argues that the affidavits of the jurors do not make it clear that the appellant was prejudiced by the unauthorized view. Finally, the State argues that the affidavits of jurors may not be used to impeach the verdict in which they participated in rendering.
As the State has pointed out, the traditional rule, first enunciated in Vaise v. Delavel (K.B. 1785) 99 Eng. Rep. 944, forbids jurors from impeaching their own verdicts. Moreover, this rule has been recognized as the law in this State. See: Krivanek v. State, supra; Widup v. State (1967), 250 Ind. 1, 230 N.E.2d 767; Groover v. State (1959), 239 Ind. 271, 156 N.E.2d 307; White v. State (1955), 234 Ind. 193, 125 N.E.2d 442. There are, however, instances where indiscriminate application of the rule without regard to the attendant circumstances of the case to which the rule is applied will result in a prejudicial denial of fundamental constitutional guarantees.
In Parker v. Gladden (1967), 245 Ore. 426, 407 P.2d 246, *149 the petitioner alleged in his petition for post conviction relief that he was denied a fair trial because of misconduct on the part of the jury and bailiff. A hearing was had on the petition and the post conviction trial court found for the petitioner. On appeal, the Supreme Court of Oregon reversed holding that the petitioner was not deprived of a "constitutionally correct trial." 407 P.2d 246. In reaching its conclusion the Oregon court reasoned that the desirability of "giving finality to verdicts and protecting jurors from harrassment," 407 P.2d 249, outweighed the desirability of "guaranteeing a constitutionally fair trial to an accused," id., and that testimony of jurors offered to impeach their own verdict could not be received except in those cases where to do so would "violate the plainest principles of justice." 407 P.2d 250. Thus, although the Supreme Court of Oregon did not rule that the statements of the jurors were testimonially incompetent, in affirming the conviction it applied essentially the same rule against impeachment of verdicts that the State would have us apply to the case at bar.
However, the Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari, 384 U.S. 904, 16 L. Ed. 2d 357, 86 S. Ct. 1345 (1966), and reversed. Parker v. Gladden (1966, 385 U.S. 363, 17 L. Ed. 2d 420, 87 S. Ct. 468. In its per curiam opinion the Court said:
*150 The Court went on to say "that the rights of confrontation and cross examination are among the fundamental requirements of a constitutionally fair trial." 17 L. Ed. 2d 423.
In United States v. McMann, 373 F.2d 759 (Second Cir.1967), the Second Circuit Court of Appeals applied Parker v. Gladden, supra, to an appeal from an order of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York denying without a hearing the appellants' application for a writ of habeas corpus. In that case the appellants alleged that several of the jurors visited the scene of the crimes and there reenacted the crimes without the knowledge or authorization of the court, and without the appellants' knowledge. The appellants' allegations were supported by statements made by several of the jurors. On appeal, the Court of Appeals of New York affirmed the appellants' convictions, holding that jurors could not impeach the verdict which they duly rendered. People v. DeLucia (1965), 15 N.Y.2d 294, 258 N.Y.S.2d 377, 206 N.E.2d 324. Inasmuch as Parker v. Gladden, supra, was handed down subsequent to the rulings of both the New York state court, and the Federal District Court, the Court of Appeals vacated the order of the district court in order to give the state court an opportunity to reconsider its decision in light of Parker v. Gladden, supra.
In its opinion the United States Court of Appeals stated:
The court went on to say that due to "the close relationship between the issue of state law here involved and the newly articulated federal right, we think it proper to give the New York courts another opportunity to consider appellant's claims." 373 F.2d 762.
*151 On re-argument the Court of Appeals of New York, in People v. DeLucia (1967), 20 N.Y.2d 275, 229 N.E. 211, 282 N.Y.S.2d 526, stated:
In re-examining the common law rule, the New York court made the following observations:
In revising its rule to conform to the federal constitutional requirements the New York court wisely refused to abolish *152 the rule entirely. Instead, it held the common law rule inapplicable to those cases where the jurors are subjected to "outside influences", but valid as to those cases involving allegations as to statements made by the jurors during the course of their deliberations. The purpose of this distinction was to preserve the integrity of the jury system, and was justified by the court as follows:
In light of the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in Parker v. Gladden, supra, it is clear that this court can no longer indiscriminately apply the common law rule against juror's impeaching their own verdicts to those cases in which a defendant in a criminal trial alleges a prejudicial denial of a constitutional right. Rather, we must recognize "the right of the defendant to prove facts substantiating his claim." 229 N.E.2d 213.
However, protection of this right will not compromise the integrity of the jury system if, as under the New York rule, the jurors' statements may be received only for the purpose of determining whether the jury was subjected to an outside influence, and not for the purpose of probing into the psychology and mechanics of the jury's deliberations.
The reason for the distinction is, we think, quite clear. Included within the defendant's Sixth Amendment rights *153 is the right to have the "evidence developed" against him "come from the witness stand in a public courtroom." Turner v. Louisiana (1965), 379 U.S. 466, 473, 13 L. Ed. 2d 424, 429, 85 S. Ct. 546. Further, each juror's verdict "must be based upon the evidence developed at the trial." 13 L. Ed. 2d 428. The right to be tried in a public courtroom with the attendant procedural rules and guarantees of due process would be meaningless if the jury were presented evidence from an extrajudicial source. Moreover, in such a situation it is impossible to guarantee that the jury's verdict will be based "upon the evidence developed at trial." id. Finally, the presence of an "outside influence" or extrajudicial evidence is an objective fact "susceptible to adequate proof." 229 N.E.2d 214. In short, the fact either exists or does not exist, and may be proved just as any other objective fact is proved.
The same considerations do not apply, however, where the defendant challenges the subjective decision making processes of the jury during its deliberations. Trial by jury contemplates trial by a group of individuals who must attempt to reach a unanimous verdict. Trial by jury further contemplates that each juror, when convinced of his own conclusions, will attempt to persuade the other jurors to adopt his position. To hold that a defendant is prejudiced by the influence a persuasive juror may have on his fellow jurors, or by the negotiations and compromise inherent in jury deliberations would be to deprive the deliberations of the free and open discussion necessary for a thorough consideration of all the issues present. Moreover, to require jurors to divest themselves of their life experiences and individual knowledge when they retire to deliberate would be to deprive the jury system of the human element upon which its vitality depends.
Thus, both public policy and the integrity of the jury system require that the rule against receiving evidence from a juror which is offered to impeach the verdict in which the *154 juror participated must still apply to those cases where the alleged misconduct involves the free and open discussion and subjective influence of the jury deliberations. Therefore, a juror's statement, by affidavit or otherwise, which attempts to impeach the verdict on the basis of the psychological or mechanical aspects of juryroom deliberation is, and must remain, inadmissible.
However, we hold that statements by jurors which allege that material evidence other than that developed at trial was presented to the jury, or that other material extrajudicial influences were brought to bear on the jury are admissible to prove a prejudicial denial of the defendant's constitutional rights. Parker v. Gladden, supra; United States v. McMann, supra; People v. DeLucia, supra.
In the case at bar, the jurors' affidavits in question allege that the jurors were provided an unauthorized view of the scene of the alleged crime, and that this unauthorized view was persuasive in establishing the requisite element of entry. The appellant contends that the alleged view was prejudicial to him and should have resulted in the granting of his belated amended motion for a new trial.
With this contention we are compelled to agree. Not only did the alleged unauthorized view violate certain of the appellant's constitutional rights, but it also violated certain state statutory provisions. Ind. Ann. Stat. § 9-1809 (1956) provides:
*155 In the case at bar, it is clear that the court did not order the view alleged, nor did "all the parties" consent to the view.
Further, Ind. Ann. Stat. § 9-1903 (1956) provides in part:
In the case at bar, as alleged by the affidavits of the jurors, the jury "received and considered" evidence "not authorized by the court." Although undoubtedly unintentional, this technically amounted to "misconduct tending to prevent a fair and due consideration of the case," in that it involved the reception of evidence not developed "from the witness stand in a public courtroom." Turner v. Louisiana, supra. Even though the alleged view was no doubt fortuitous, a motion for a new trial must be granted where there exists a prejudicial "accident or surprise which ordinary prudence could not have guarded against."
There is here present, however, some conflict as to whether there was, in fact, an unauthorized view. The affidavits of the jurors allege that there was such a view, while the bailiff states in his affidavit that the jurors at no time passed or looked at the Fireside Lounge. In view of this evidentiary conflict, this cause should be remanded to the trial court with instructions to hold a record hearing on the appellant's allegations. If the appellant's allegations are substantiated by the evidence adduced at such hearing, the appellant's belated amended motion for a new trial should be granted.
NOTE.  Reported in 263 N.E.2d 165.