Opinion ID: 1624645
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: whether the trial court validly accepted the jury's verdict and adjudicated neal guilty.

Text: ¶ 45. Neal argues that the trial judge never properly accepted the jury verdict and adjudicated him guilty on the record; therefore, no valid conviction exists. He cites Mississippi Code Section 99-19-3(1), which provides, in pertinent part, that: a person indicted for a criminal offense shall not be convicted thereof unless ... by verdict of a jury accepted and recorded in court. A person shall not be punished therefor unless legally convicted. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-19-3(1) (Rev.2007). Neal contends that under Section 99-19-3(1), no valid conviction exists because the trial judge did not expressly state on the record that the court accepts the jury's verdict. ¶ 46. Uniform Circuit and County Court Rule 3.10 governs jury deliberations and verdicts. The rule states, in part, that: When the jurors have agreed upon a verdict they shall be conducted into the courtroom by the officer having them in charge. The court shall ask the foreman or the jury panel if an agreement has been reached on a verdict. If the foreman or the jury panel answers in the affirmative, the judge shall call upon the foreman or any member of the panel to deliver the verdict in writing to the clerk or the court. The court may then examine the verdict and correct it as to matters of form. The clerk or the court shall then read the verdict in open court in the presence of the jury. The court shall inquire if either party desires to poll the jury, or the court may on its own motion poll the jury.... If the court, on its own motion, or on motion of either party, polls the jury, each juror shall be asked by the court if the verdict rendered is that juror's verdict. In a criminal case where the verdict is unanimous... the court shall order the verdict filed and entered of record and discharge the jury unless a bifurcated hearing is necessary. ¶ 47. The record of the proceedings in the instant case indicates the procedures prescribed in Rule 3.10 were scrupulously followed. The trial court received a note from the jury stating that it had reached a verdict, and the court ordered that the jury return to the courtroom. When the jury was seated, the trial court asked one juror if the jury had reached a decision in this case, and if that decision was unanimous. The juror responded affirmatively to both questions. The trial court asked the court clerk to read the jury's written verdict aloud in open court. The court clerk read the verdict, which stated: We, the jury, find the defendant, Jermaine Neal, guilty as charged. The trial court asked if counsel had any requests, and Neal's counsel responded that he would like the jury polled. Accordingly, the trial court polled the jury. The poll revealed that the verdict was unanimous. Then, the trial court brought Neal before the bench and stated, Mr. Neal, the jury has found you guilty of murder ... the law is that I sentence you to life in prison and I order at this time pronounce that as your sentence and you will be sentenced to the State Department of Corrections for the rest of your life. The verdict was filed and entered of record, and the trial court entered a judgment of conviction and sentence that set forth the jury's verdict. ¶ 48. It is clear from these proceedings, which were in full compliance with Rule 3.10, that Neal was validly convicted by a verdict of the jury accepted and recorded in court. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-19-3(1) (Rev.2007). The trial court did not have to state expressly that the court accepted the verdict in order to effect Neal's conviction. Id. Neal cites no authority that would support such a requirement; the cases he cites, State v. Taylor, 544 So.2d 1387 (Miss.1989) and McLarty v. State, 842 So.2d 590, 596 (Miss.Ct.App.2003), involve jury polling, which is not an issue in this case. This issue is without merit.