Opinion ID: 683580
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cancellation of the Mistrial

Text: 16 After several days of deliberation, the jury sent the judge a note that it had reached verdicts on all the counts except one. The trial judge called in the jury to receive its verdicts. The clerk read its verdicts as to Segura-Gallegos' codefendants, and the judge noted we do not have a verdict form as to Mr. Segura. He then polled the jury on each of the three codefendants' convictions. The judge then asked the members of the jury whether they thought more time to deliberate would allow them to reach a verdict on Segura-Gallegos, and the jury foreperson replied I do not believe we can possibly come to a verdict. When other jurors agreed, the judge sent them back to the jury room. 17 Segura-Gallegos' counsel requested a mistrial. The trial judge granted the motion. After discussing a possible retrial date, the judge called the jury back in. The judge explained to the jury that he had granted a mistrial, and thanked them for their hard work, telling them they could now talk to the lawyers. A juror interrupted him to tell him that the jury had in fact initially reached verdicts of guilty on two of the counts against Segura-Gallegos, and had been unable to reach a verdict only on the last count, which involved possession of a weapon during a drug trafficking crime. The judge immediately cancelled his mistrial order, asked the jury to read the verdict form, and stated for the record: 18 I misunderstood the jury and believed that they were telling me that they could not reach a verdict at all as to Mr. Segura, one way or the other. 19 I now find that the jury meant that they could not reach a verdict on one of the three counts as to Mr. Segura. With that I will cancel my order declaring a mistrial as to Mr. Segura, and will receive the jury's verdict as to Mr. Segura. 20 The clerk read the verdict on the conspiracy and possession counts, and the judge polled the jury with Segura-Gallegos' counsel's assent. The judge then declared a mistrial on the weapons count and excused the jury. Finally, the judge postponed setting a sentencing date for Segura-Gallegos pending a decision whether to retry him on the weapons count. 21 On appeal, Segura-Gallegos claims that the cancellation of the mistrial on the first two counts was reversible error, both because it prejudiced him and because the district court lacked jurisdiction to continue with the trial once he had discharged the jury. Because Segura-Gallegos' trial counsel did not object, the cancellation of the mistrial order is reviewed for plain error. United States v. Dischner, 974 F.2d 1502, 1515 (9th Cir.1992), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 1290, 122 L.Ed.2d 682 (1993). To reverse a conviction for plain error, we must find an actual error which is clear under current law. United States v. Olano, --- U.S. ----, ----, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 1777, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993). The error must affect substantial rights. In most cases, this means the error must prove prejudicial in that it affected the outcome of the proceedings. Id. at ----, 113 S.Ct. at 1777-78. Finally, even if all the foregoing criteria are satisfied, we should exercise our discretion to correct the error only if a miscarriage of justice would otherwise result. Id. at ----, 113 S.Ct. at 1778-79. 22 No actual error occurred here. During the initial reading of the verdicts, the trial judge misunderstood the jury's statement that it could not reach a verdict on the weapons count to mean that it could not reach a verdict on any count involving Segura-Gallegos. Based on his misunderstanding, and before he dismissed the jury, he granted a motion for mistrial. When he discovered his mistake, he cancelled his order, polled the jury, and declared the mistrial on the weapons count only, to reflect the true nature of the jury's deliberations. He then excused the jury. Until the jury is excused, the court may reconsider its intention to declare a mistrial. United States v. Smith, 621 F.2d 350, 352 n. 2 (9th Cir.1980), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1087, 101 S.Ct. 877, 66 L.Ed.2d 813 (1981). The judge thus corrected rather than committed an error. Because he had not yet discharged the jury, the judge had jurisdiction to do so. 23 We find that no error occurred when the district judge cancelled the mistrial. 24