Opinion ID: 1122947
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Preservation of Coercion Issue and Standard of Review

Text: The state did not challenge the timeliness of the post-verdict motions raising coercion in the trial court, but does challenge the timeliness of one of those motions here. If the motions were untimely, the trial court had no jurisdiction to entertain them on the merits. See State v. Hickle, 133 Ariz. 234, 239, 650 P.2d 1216, 1221 (1982); State v. Hill, 85 Ariz. 49, 53-54, 330 P.2d 1088, 1090-91 (1958). We do not reach the issue of timeliness of the post-trial motions, because a fair reading of the record indicates that counsel for both defendants did, at trial and in a timely fashion, request mistrials based upon the juror's failure to affirm the verdicts and the events flowing therefrom. In any event, in State v. Lautzenheiser, 180 Ariz. 7, 881 P.2d 339 (1994), we held that it is fundamental error whenever a judge improperly influences or coerces a verdict. Id. at 10, 881 P.2d at 342. Therefore, a finding of coerciveness would support a finding of fundamental error. However, as we have pointed out, in this case counsel adequately preserved the issue of coercion through their motions for mistrial. Accordingly, we review the trial court's denial of the motions for mistrial for clear abuse of discretion. State v. Murray, 184 Ariz. 9, 35, 906 P.2d 542, 568 (1995), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 116 S.Ct. 2535, 135 L.Ed.2d 1057 (1996); State v. Stuard, 176 Ariz. 589, 601, 863 P.2d 881, 893 (1993). The test of coerciveness is whether the trial court's actions or remarks, viewed in the totality of circumstances, displaced the independent judgment of the jurors. State v. McCutcheon, 150 Ariz. 317, 320, 723 P.2d 666, 669 (1986); see Lautzenheiser, 180 Ariz. at 9, 881 P.2d at 341; State v. Roberts, 131 Ariz. 513, 515-16, 642 P.2d 858, 860-61 (1982).