Opinion ID: 611597
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Mistrial Based on Potential Jurors' Seeing Defendant in Custody

Text: 51 Arias-Villanueva argues that the district court's refusing to grant his mistrial motion based on some of the defendants being seen in custody by potential jurors during jury selection was error. We review the record to determine whether the knowledge by certain jurors that an accused is under restraint or in custody was so inherently prejudicial that the defendant was denied his constitutional right to a fair trial or, alternatively, whether the defendant has affirmatively shown actual prejudice. United States v. Halliburton, 870 F.2d 557, 560 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 492 U.S. 910, 109 S.Ct. 3227, 106 L.Ed.2d 575 (1989). 52 There is obviously no error here. First, the district court explained the incident to the prospective jurors and asked whether it caused any of them concern. No prospective juror responded affirmatively. Questioning the jurors is the best method of determining prejudice. Id. at 561. Second, we have noted that jurors know that handcuffing defendants in a courthouse is a standard practice and have held that a jury's brief, inadvertent observation of a defendant in custody does not compel reversal in the absence of an affirmative showing of actual prejudice. Id. (citation omitted). Third, there is no indication that any potential juror who saw the defendants in custody became a member of the jury in the case. For these reasons, the record falls far short of affirmatively showing prejudice. See id.; Wilson v. McCarthy, 770 F.2d 1482, 1485-86 (9th Cir.1985). The district court properly denied this mistrial motion. 53