Opinion ID: 1059146
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Juror Berube

Text: Jackson moved to strike prospective juror Berube on the basis that she answered No to one question asking whether she would be able to consider all mitigating factors in making her decision whether to impose a life sentence without parole or the death penalty. However, the answer to this one isolated question does not accurately portray this juror's positive assertions during voir dire that she would follow the court's instructions and consider all mitigating evidence when making her sentencing decision. Furthermore, when overruling the defendant's motion to strike this juror, the circuit court noted that juror Berube had given careful thought to her answers and that she did not initially understand what mitigating factors are. Thus, we conclude that the circuit court did not err in finding that this juror would be fair and impartial.
During a recess on the third day of trial, the jurors asked whether they could discuss among themselves the evidence and testimony that had already been presented. The parties and the circuit court agreed that the jurors should not do so until after the close of all the evidence and the jury's deliberations began. When the jury returned to the courtroom after the recess, the court instructed the jurors that they should deliberate and discuss the evidence only after all the evidence had been introduced. The court further admonished the jurors to keep an open mind and to refrain from deciding any issue until the case was submitted to them for their deliberations. The defendant did not object to those instructions or ask for a mistrial at that time. Thus, to the extent that Jackson now argues that the court should have granted a mistrial as soon as it learned of the jury's question, which suggested, in Jackson's view, that the jury had already been discussing the case, such a claim was not preserved for appeal. See Rule 5:25. Jackson filed a post-trial motion for a new trial and/or an evidentiary hearing based on allegations that the jury had discussed his guilt or innocence prior to the close of all the evidence. In support of the motion, the defendant submitted an affidavit from alternate juror Picataggi. In the affidavit, Picataggi stated that she had witnessed and heard discussion of this case, and its outcome, among the jurors before the close of evidence and in direct violation of the instructions of the court. At a hearing on Jackson's motion, defense counsel advised the court that he had contacted all the jurors after the conclusion of the trial because of his concerns about the jury's question on the third day of trial. Counsel also told the court that this alternate juror agreed to speak with him but that many of the jurors would not do so or stated that such alleged discussions among the jurors did not occur before the close of the evidence. Defense counsel asked the court to summons all the jurors to an evidentiary hearing and to question them individually about what, if any, discussions occurred before the jury retired to deliberate. The court decided to summons only alternate juror Picataggi to a hearing for the purpose of questioning her about the allegations stated in her affidavit. At that hearing, Picataggi explained, in response to questions from the court, that she had heard three discussions, two in the jury room and one at a local restaurant where the jury had gone for lunch. She acknowledged that no third person, such as the restaurant owner or a waitress, participated in any of those discussions, either by comments to the jury or by comments from any of the jurors. Picataggi could not recall whether any discussions ensued after the jurors asked the court during a recess whether they could discuss the evidence they had already heard. Picataggi also could not remember exact words used, but she described a discussion in regard to the testimony of the detective and [the defense counsel's] questioning him in regard to the videotape and that was discussed among the jurors in that  well, they didn't particularly like the way that he was questioning the detective, but that ultimately he got to the truth or to the bottom of it. However, she admitted that at no time did any juror come to a conclusion about Jackson's guilt or innocence. During cross-examination by the defendant, Picataggi indicated that the discussions concerned things that had happened in the courtroom and matters that had been presented there, and were not necessarily limited to comments about the lawyers' styles of questioning. After hearing Picataggi's testimony, the circuit court denied the defendant's motion for further investigation and for a new trial. The court concluded that the jurors' comments addressed the cross-examination of investigator Peterson and defense counsel's techniques of attacking that witness's credibility. The court found no probable misconduct and clearly no prejudice to the defendant. On appeal, Jackson argues that the evidence of jurors' discussions establishes a probability of prejudice and brings into question the fairness of the trial. The defendant also asserts that the comment that he got to the truth or to the bottom of it went to the issue of guilt or innocence. At a minimum, the circuit court, according to Jackson, should have conducted an evidentiary hearing at which all the jurors should have been questioned. We do not agree with the defendant's position. In Virginia, we strictly adhere `to the general rule that the testimony of jurors should not be received to impeach their verdict, especially on the ground of their own misconduct.' Jenkins, 244 Va. at 460, 423 S.E.2d at 370 (quoting Caterpillar Tractor Co. v. Hulvey, 233 Va. 77, 82, 353 S.E.2d 747, 750 (1987)). We have also generally `limited findings of prejudicial juror misconduct to activities of jurors that occur outside the jury room.' Id. (quoting Caterpillar Tractor Co., 233 Va. at 83, 353 S.E.2d at 751.) For example, in Haddad v. Commonwealth, 229 Va. 325, 330-331, 329 S.E.2d 17, 20 (1985), evidence showing juror misconduct in the form of expressing an opinion to third persons during trial proceedings was sufficient to establish a probability of prejudice to the accused. Applying this same probability of prejudice standard, we find that Jackson failed to carry his burden to establish such prejudice. See id. Upon reviewing Picataggi's affidavit, the circuit court properly convened an evidentiary hearing to investigate further her allegations of juror misconduct. See Kearns v. Hall, 197 Va. 736, 743, 91 S.E.2d 648, 653 (1956) (when allegations of jury misconduct are sufficient to indicate the verdict was affected thereby, a trial court has a duty to investigate and determine whether, as a matter of fact, the jury did engage in misconduct). The evidence presented at that hearing amply supported the court's conclusions that there was probably no misconduct and clearly no prejudice to the defendant. At best, Picataggi could only recall juror discussions regarding defense counsel's techniques of cross-examination and the comment he . . . got to the bottom of it. She could not remember any other specific comments by the jurors, or whether any juror discussions about the evidence transpired after the court instructed them not to do so in response to the jury's question. And, Picataggi admitted that no juror expressed an opinion about Jackson's guilt or innocence. That fact distinguishes this case from Haddad. Thus, we conclude that neither a new trial nor any further investigation by the circuit court was warranted. We said many years ago that [i]f gossip of [jurors] among themselves, or surmise, is to be the basis of new trials there would be no end to litigation. Margiotta v. Aycock, 162 Va. 557, 568, 174 S.E. 831, 835 (1934). That statement remains true today.
Jackson asserts that the circuit court erred in allowing the jury to use a transcript of his video-taped confession while the video was played during the trial, in overruling his motion for a mistrial because of problems that occurred while watching the video tape and using the transcript, and in allowing the jury to review the video-taped confession during their deliberations. We find no merit to any of these claims. The circuit court directed that a transcript of the video tape be prepared because portions of the video tape were inaudible and the court concluded that it would be helpful for the jurors to have the transcript while they were viewing the video tape. At trial, Jackson claimed the transcript was not accurate and thus objected to the jury's use of it. The circuit court disagreed and found that the transcript was as accurate as it could be and that it was incomplete because some portions of the video tape were inaudible. Before the jurors watched the video tape, the court instructed them that the transcript was merely a guide . . . [and was] not evidence. The court further instructed that the evidence was the tape itself and the audio portion of it, and that the transcript would be retrieved after the video tape was played and could not be taken into the jury room during deliberations. Finally, the court told the jury that, although there would be places in the transcript stating that the video tape was inaudible, it was, nevertheless, the jury's responsibility to listen to the tape and determine what, in fact, [was] being said. The court reminded the jurors of these instructions when they finished viewing the video tape. A court may, in its discretion, permit the jury to refer to a transcript, the accuracy of which is established, as an aid to understanding a recording. Fisher v. Commonwealth, 236 Va. 403, 413, 374 S.E.2d 46, 52 (1988); accord Burns v. Commonwealth, 261 Va. 307, 330, 541 S.E.2d 872, 888 (2001). Although Jackson argues on appeal that the transcript was inaccurate, he points only to the fact that some words were missing because the video tape was inaudible at certain points, that the transcript was incorrectly paginated, and that one page was missing. However, those problems did not render the transcript inaccurate. In light of the lengthy instructions that the circuit court gave the jurors regarding the purpose of the transcript and their use of it, we are persuaded that the court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the jury to use the transcript of the defendant's video-taped confession. See id. (trial court did not abuse its discretion by allowing jury to use transcript that was not complete). During the playing of the video tape, it was discovered that the pages in one juror's transcript were partially out of order. After that problem was corrected, the court directed the Commonwealth to rewind the video tape approximately two minutes. Subsequently, it was discovered that the jurors' transcripts were missing one page. Playing of the video tape was momentarily stopped while that problem was corrected. Because of these problems and Jackson's assertion that the jurors rarely looked up from the transcript and thus did not watch the video tape, he moved for a mistrial at the conclusion of the playing of his video-taped confession. The circuit court overruled the motion, finding that the jurors had paid close attention to both the video tape and the transcript. The court also noted that the amount of the video tape that was replayed was minimal and that all the problems with the transcripts were quickly corrected. The court did not err in overruling the motion for a mistrial. Finally, Jackson claims that undue emphasis was placed on his confession and investigator Peterson's testimony regarding his interrogation of the defendant because the jury was allowed to take the video tape into the jury room during deliberations. However, Code § 8.01-381 provides that [e]xhibits may, by leave of court, be carried into the jury room. Exhibits requested by the jury shall be sent to the jury room or may otherwise be made available to the jury. Id. Thus, any exhibit introduced into evidence, including a defendant's written or recorded statement, is available to jurors during their deliberations. See Pugliese v. Commonwealth, 16 Va.App. 82, 90, 428 S.E.2d 16, 23 (1993). That jurors may put emphasis on certain evidence, perhaps a particular exhibit or testimony of a certain witness, is simply part of what they do when weighing and considering the evidence. Id. Thus, the court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the jury to take the video tape into the jury room during deliberations.
Jackson first challenges the circuit court's ruling allowing the Commonwealth to use an in-life photograph of the victim. Mrs. Phillips' son identified the photograph during his direct examination, [6] and the Commonwealth displayed the photograph during its closing argument in the guilt phase of the trial for approximately seven seconds. The court did not allow the jury to take the photograph into the jury room. The defendant claims that the photograph had no probative value and was used to arouse the sympathies of the jury. We conclude that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the use of the in-life photograph of Mrs. Phillips. See Bennett v. Commonwealth, 236 Va. 448, 471, 374 S.E.2d 303, 317 (1988) (no abuse of trial court's discretion to admit photograph showing victim one month before she died). The photograph was displayed only twice for brief periods of time. Additionally, the photograph was not given to the jury or taken into the jury room during deliberations. The defendant also claims that the circuit court erred in admitting into evidence photographs of Mrs. Phillips taken during the autopsy. He specifically challenges the admission of duplicate photographs of Mrs. Phillips' face and an enlarged photograph of her vaginal area. The defendant asserts that any probative value of these photographs was outweighed by their prejudicial and inflammatory effect upon the jury. Although Jackson does not identify the challenged photographs by exhibit number, we assume that he is complaining about two photographs of Mrs. Phillips' face, Commonwealth Exhibit Numbers 47 and 48; and the enlarged photograph of her vaginal area, Commonwealth Exhibit Number 51. These are the photographs to which the defendant objected at trial. The Commonwealth introduced each of these during the medical examiner's testimony. Number 47 depicted the front of Mrs. Phillips' face, and number 48 was a side view. Number 51 showed a laceration in the rear portion of her vaginal area. Each photograph depicted different injuries suffered by Mrs. Phillips. We agree with the circuit court's conclusion that the two facial photographs were not shocking or gruesome and that Number 51 was simply part of the facts of this particular case. Thus, the court did not abuse its discretion in admitting these photographs. The photographs were relevant to the issues of premeditation, intent, and malice. See Gray v. Commonwealth, 233 Va. 313, 342, 356 S.E.2d 157, 173 (1987); Stockton v. Commonwealth, 227 Va. 124, 144, 314 S.E.2d 371, 384 (1984). And, contrary to the defendant's argument, any prejudicial effect of the photographs did not outweigh their probative value.
During closing argument, the Commonwealth used a pillow to demonstrate the length of time that Jackson held the pillow over Mrs. Phillips' face. The Commonwealth asked the jury how such an act could not be indicative of a specific intent to kill. The defendant objected on the basis that the Commonwealth was not using the actual pillow found at the crime scene and that the demonstration would incite and inflame the jury. The circuit court overruled the objection but directed the Commonwealth to tell the jury that the pillow was not the actual size and shape of the pillow used to suffocate Mrs. Phillips and that the Commonwealth was using a pillow only for demonstrative purposes. Admission of items of demonstrative evidence to illustrate testimonial evidence is . . . a matter within the sound discretion of a trial court. Mackall, 236 Va. at 254, 372 S.E.2d at 768. We conclude that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion. As directed by the court, the Commonwealth instructed the jury that the pillow was not the actual pillow found at the crime scene and that it was being used for demonstrative purposes. Furthermore, the court also told the jury that the pillow was not the one found on Mrs. Phillips' bed. Finally, the Commonwealth's demonstration did not distort the evidence concerning the manner of Mrs. Phillips' death.
Jackson asserts that the circuit court erred in admitting the autopsy report into evidence and allowing that report to be given to the jury. When the defendant objected to the introduction of the report, the court indicated that it would redact any opinion expressed by the medical examiner in the report. Although Jackson asserts on brief that the report was admitted into evidence during the medical examiner's testimony, that factual statement is not accurate. The defendant cross-examined the medical examiner about his report, but at no point during his testimony was the autopsy report admitted into evidence. The report is not marked as an exhibit and is only stamped as having been filed in both the General District Court and the Circuit Court of the City of Williamsburg and County of James City. Although Code § 19.2-188 provides that [r]eports of investigations made by the Chief Medical Examiner, his assistants or medical examiners . . . shall be received as evidence in any court or other proceeding, the autopsy report concerning Mrs. Phillips was not admitted into evidence in this case. Thus, this claim has no merit. [7]