Opinion ID: 2389275
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Contact with Juror

Text: Sheppard argues that a spectator's contact with a juror deprived him of a fair and impartial trial because the circuit court judge failed to cure the resulting prejudice. We disagree. Sheppard invokes the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution in his conclusory argument that he was denied a fair trial by a spectator's comment to a juror in an elevator, and by the circuit court judge's failure to remedy any resulting prejudice. The comment itself is not in the record, and the only information about the comment is found when the circuit court judge addresses the jury: Madam Forelady and ladies and gentlemen of the jury, hope you had a good weekend. For the juror who reported an inappropriate comment on the elevator on Thursday, I appreciate that, I will deal with that and thank you for making that report. Sheppard contends the judge was required to ensure Sheppard received a fair and impartial trial by interviewing the juror to ascertain the extent of any potential prejudice and by giving the entire jury a curative instruction, even in the absence of any objection or motion by defense counsel. He argues not only that the circuit court was required to address the issue without motion or objection, but also that this Court may reach the unpreserved issue because the issue is absolutely essential to a fair trial and resolving the question now is in the interest of judicial economy. First, Sheppard has not properly preserved this issue for appellate review. After the judge addressed the jury regarding the comment, Sheppard made no motion or objection; instead, he immediately began cross-examining a witness. Our law is clear that a party must make a contemporaneous objection that is ruled upon by the trial judge to preserve an issue for appellate review. State v. Johnson, 363 S.C. 53, 58, 609 S.E.2d 520, 523 (2005). This rule also applies to constitutional arguments. See State v. Owens, 378 S.C. 636, 638, 664 S.E.2d 80, 81 (2008) (finding constitutional claims not preserved for review without a contemporaneous objection at trial). Second, aside from the preservation problem, Sheppard is clearly arguing for this Court to apply the plain error rule. While Sheppard does not use the phrase plain error, he states that the circuit court judge had the obligation to investigate and cure any potential prejudice even without objection or motion from defense counsel. This Court, however, has routinely held the plain error rule does not apply in South Carolina state courts. See Jackson v. Speed, 326 S.C. 289, 306, 486 S.E.2d 750, 759 (1997) (recognizing South Carolina appellate courts have consistently refused to apply the plain error rule). Instead, a party must have a contemporaneous and specific objection to preserve an issue for appellate review. Johnson, 363 S.C. at 58, 609 S.E.2d at 523. Thus, Sheppard's argument that a judge commits an abuse of discretion by not ex mero motu [1] addressing an issue at trial is not supported by our case law. Therefore, because Sheppard has not preserved this issue for review and because this Court does not apply the plain error rule, his argument fails.