Opinion ID: 2333029
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Parole Information

Text: Neal contends that the trial judge erred in refusing to grant a mistrial where the venire panel was tainted with inadmissible parole information. We disagree. A mistrial is justified only when a manifest necessity for such an action or an urgent or real necessity appears in the record. Skaggs v. Commonwealth, Ky., 694 S.W.2d 672, 678 (1985). It is within the trial judge's discretion whether a mistrial should be granted, and his decision should not be disturbed, absent an abuse of discretion. Clay v. Commonwealth, Ky.App., 867 S.W.2d 200, 204 (1993). During jury selection for the retrial of the penalty phase, a juror expressed concern about parole eligibility information. The trial judge instructed the jurors that they may or may not have that information before deliberating but that they must be able to consider the entire penalty range. Later, a second juror expressed a similar concern and the trial judge repeated his previous instruction. Although the jurors expressed concern over parole eligibility, they were not given information about it until the truth-in-sentencing and persistent felony offender penalty phase. No error occurred. The trial judge properly overruled the motion by Neal for a mistrial and discharging of the jury.