Opinion ID: 2114172
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Denial of Schwartz hearing

Text: Finally, appellant argues the trial court erred by denying his motion for a Schwartz hearing. Following the completion of the trial, appellant filed a motion for a Schwartz hearing [4] after it came to his counsel's attention that two or three jurors had looked into the courtroom and seen appellant's codefendant, Jamie Pearson, present in the courtroom and wearing prison clothing. This was during a time when the court and counsel were considering whether Pearson would testify at appellant's trial. After Pearson refused to testify, the trial court and counsel agreed that a stipulated statement would be read into the record at trial stating that Pearson was present at 2817 Bryant at the time of the murder. Jones, 556 N.W.2d at 907. In support of the motion for a Schwartz hearing, appellant argued that a hearing was necessary to determine whether the jurors who had seen Pearson in the courtroom had told other jurors about Pearson or had been prejudiced against appellant by having concluded that another jury had already convicted Pearson of the same offense. The trial court rejected appellant's motion for a hearing on the potential jury misconduct, noting that no evidence indicated the jurors had heard anything from the courtroom. The trial court also pointed out that an affidavit in support of the motion, provided by the appellant's wife, was extremely questionable given the fact that her credibility is definitely an issue. Appellant knew of, but chose not to raise, the Schwartz argument on direct appeal. Therefore, it is procedurally barred. See Knaffla, 309 Minn. at 252, 243 N.W.2d at 741. Having carefully reviewed appellant's claims, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it denied appellant's petition for postconviction relief. Affirmed.