Opinion ID: 2175102
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Instruction 18, of which defendant complains, provides in part:

Text: Upon retiring at the close of the case your first duty is to elect a foreman. The foreman acts as chairman. It is his duty to see that discussion is carried on in an orderly and proper fashion, that the issues are fully and freely discussed, and that every juror is given an opportunity to express his views. When ballots are to be taken, he will see that it is done. He will sign the form of verdict which is in accord with your decision. He will sign any written requests made by the jury to the Court. Defendant complains the use of the masculine pronouns he and his prejudiced the defendant by implying or subtly suggesting to the jury that it was incumbent upon the jury to select a male member as foreman. There is no merit to this contention. In State v. Clark, 180 Iowa 477, 483, 163 N.W. 250, 253, this court said:    (B)ut the claim that this dealt unfairly with the testimony of the defendant as a witness is not so much grounded on this part of the instruction, but upon another part of the same general instruction, which is: `You are not bound to take the testimony of any witness as absolutely true, and you should not do so if you are satisfied from all the facts and circumstances in evidence that such witness is mistaken in any of the facts testified to by him.' The argument is that using the word `him,' because it does not touch the testimony of the female prosecutrix, singles out defendant as a witness on his own behalf. This objection is utterly strained and hypercritical. The jury could not in reason so have understood it, and the statute provides: `Words importing the masculine gender only may be extended to females.' Par. 3, section 48, Code 1897. The fact the words he and his refer to either gender is a matter of common knowledge. The statute referred to in State v. Clark, supra, is the present section 4.1(3) of the Code, 1973, which provides:    words of one gender include the other genders. IV. Defendant further asserts trial court erred in overruling defendant's motion for a directed verdict. Such assignment raises the question of the sufficiency of the evidence to generate a jury question. State v. Kittelson, 164 N.W.2d 157, 161 (Iowa 1969). This court, in reviewing the sufficiency of evidence views the same and all reasonable inferences arising therefrom in the light most favorable to the State. State v. Walker, 218 N.W.2d 599, 601 (Iowa 1974); State v. Clay, 213 N.W.2d 473, 476 (Iowa 1973). The testimony of the arresting officer that at the time of and immediately prior to the arrest the defendant was driving erratically, and thereafter had difficulty walking, was unsteady on his feet, and that there was an odor of alcohol about his person, coupled with the testimony of the chemist who conducted the analysis of the breath sample, was sufficient to justify the submission of the matter to a jury. V. Defendant complains of the giving of instructions 13 and 14, which we find to be identical with Uniform Jury Instructions 520.3 and 520.6, respectively. Defendant contends the inclusion in such instructions of the terms intoxicating liquor and operating a motor vehicle in an intoxicated condition were confusing to the members of the jury and misinformed them. We have said the term under the influence of an alcoholic beverage is synonymous with the term in an intoxicated condition. State v. Davis, 196 N.W.2d 885, 890 (Iowa 1972); State v. Tiernan, supra, 206 N.W.2d at 901. We perceive no error by trial court in the giving of instructions 13 and 14. VI. Instruction 19, which is assailed by defendant and which is general in its terms and merely informs the jury its verdict must represent the considered judgment of each member, was approved by this court in State v. Hackett, 200 N.W.2d 493, 496 (Iowa 1972). While defendant asks us to reconsider Hackett, we decline to do so. VII. Defendant's remaining contention for review is that the trial court erred in overruling his motion for new trial bottomed on a claim of jury misconduct, which is based on an affidavit of a juror following trial purporting to show she was induced by her fellow jurors to find the defendant guilty. We have repeatedly held trial courts have broad discretion in determining whether evidence of claimed jury misconduct justifies a new trial. State v. Houston, 209 N.W.2d 42, 44 (Iowa 1973); State v. Jackson, 195 N.W.2d 687 (Iowa 1972). In State v. Brown, 253 Iowa 658, 671, 113 N.W.2d 286, 294, this court said: We have frequently held it is not competent to show by statements of jurors what influenced the verdict. That is a matter of opinion which inheres in the verdict. Accordingly it may not be shown in such manner, to avoid the verdict, that a juror did not assent to it, misunderstood the court's instructions or the testimony, was unduly influenced by statements of fellow jurors, was mistaken in his calculations or judgment, or other matters resting alone in the juror's breast. These all inhere in the verdict. (Emphasis supplied.) See also State v. Washington, 160 N.W.2d 337, 340 (Iowa 1968). Trial court did not err in overruling defendant's motion for a new trial. We find no reversible error in the record and affirm the trial court. Affirmed.