Opinion ID: 1349791
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Exposure to Extrinsic Evidence

Text: In examining the extraneous influences that defendants claim affected the juries' verdicts, we shall focus on defendants' claims from juror affidavits that the juries were exposed to (1) the film Malcolm X, (2) media reports during the trial of existing contingency plans in case of rioting, i.e., placing the National Guard on alert and closing the freeways in the event the juries acquitted, and (3) the claim that the jurors considered as a factor defendants' supposed participation in the police unit known as STRESS (Stop the Robberies Enjoy Safe Streets) [12] even though there was no evidence about this produced at trial. There is no dispute that the trial court provided the film Malcolm X to the juries, which they watched (at least in part) on August 5, 1993, and on August 6, 1993. [13] This viewing occurred near the end of trial: the trial had begun on June 18, 1993, and the juries began deliberating on August 13, 1993. The affidavits confirmed that the jurors had watched, at least in part, Malcolm X. Defendants also rely on these juror affidavits to assert that the two other alleged extraneous influences listed above affected the juries' verdicts. Generally, jurors may not impeach their own verdict by subsequent affidavits showing misconduct in the jury room. People v. Pizzino, 313 Mich. 97, 108, 20 N.W.2d 824 (1945). See also Tanner v. United States, 483 U.S. 107, 107 S.Ct. 2739, 97 L.Ed.2d 90 (1987). As the Court of Appeals has previously noted, once a jury has been polled and discharged, its members may not challenge mistakes or misconduct inherent in the verdict. Rather, oral testimony or affidavits may only be received on extraneous or outside errors, such as undue influence by outside parties. See Hoffman v. Monroe Public Schools, 96 Mich.App. 256, 257-258, 292 N.W.2d 542 (1980), citing Mattox v. United States, 146 U.S. 140, 13 S.Ct. 50, 36 L.Ed. 917 (1892). See also People v. Larry Smith, 106 Mich.App. 203, 211-212, 307 N.W.2d 441 (1981). As the United States Supreme Court has explained, the distinction between an external influence and inherent misconduct is not based on the location of the wrong, e.g., distinguished on the basis whether the irregularity occurred inside or outside the jury room. Rather, the nature of the allegation determines whether the allegation is intrinsic to the jury's deliberative process or whether it is an outside or extraneous influence. See Tanner, supra at 117-118, 107 S.Ct. at 2745-46. In examining these affidavits, a trial court should not investigate their subjective content, but limit its factual inquiry to determining the extent to which the jurors saw or discussed the extrinsic evidence. See Dickson v. Sullivan, 849 F.2d 403, 406 (C.A.9, 1988). After reviewing the three sworn juror affidavits, [14] we believe that we may consider these affidavits to determine whether they met the threshold requirement. The three influences culled from the sworn affidavits, as identified above, were extraneous to the trial proceedings and did not result exclusively from juror misconduct inherent in the verdict. According to these sworn statements, the juries were exposed to, and considered during deliberations, extraneous factors regarding whether defendants Budzyn and Nevers were guilty of second-degree murder.