Opinion ID: 2065070
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's Second Mistrial Motion

Text: At 4:20 P.M., the court was handed a note that the jury wanted five or six additional note sheets. Shortly thereafter, it received another note stating, the jury cannot reach a verdict. Please instruct. The prosecutor requested that the court give an Allen charge, but defense counsel strongly object[ed] to issuing an Allen charge    in light of the fact that this is not the classical hung jury  (emphasis added). Defense counsel stated: MR. LESTER:    I believe right now the pressure on her must be incredible. I believe an Allen charge would only add to that which would allow a defective verdict to be rendered, in light of the fact that Juror 4 possibly would not agree with the verdict . There's no way for the Court to soften the language or make the language of an Allen charge appear less stringent.    This is not the classic Allen charge situation, where a jury just sends out a note saying that they're deadlocked. Now, the Court and all of us are aware of at least one individual who is in fact deadlocking the jury . I request the Court at this time declare a mistrial and  that's defense's request (emphasis added).