Opinion ID: 1196239
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: statements to the jury

Text: Defense counsel inquired extensively about spousal abuse during voir dire in an effort to ferret out jurors who could not judge the case on the evidence presented because Ryan had abused his wife. At one point, defense counsel attempted to challenge a potential juror for cause because she admitted that she had strong feelings about spousal abuse. In response to the challenge for cause, the trial judge stated: Well, [defense counsel], what I've heard her say is that she is not for spousal or domestic abuse. That is a criminal act. I think if you ask all these people, Do you have strong feelings about murder, they would probably say, Yes. That does not disqualify them from serving on this jury. I think it's important they be able to separate, perhaps, the two, that Mr. Ryan is here not because he hit his wife, but because he murdered his wife, and whether or not they have strong feelings about domestic violence or hitting their wives, that isn't going to disqualify them from serving on this jury. During the next in-chambers conference, defense counsel moved for a mistrial asserting that the statement tainted the entire jury panel. The motion was denied, and the trial judge gave the following curative instruction upon returning to the courtroom: Ladies and gentlemen, the attorneys have pointed out to me that I said that Mr. Ryan is here not because he hit his wife, but because he murdered his wife. I should have said, He's not here because he's charged with hitting his wife, he's here because he is charged with having murdered her. I did not intend to imply that the Court has any opinion as to guilt or innocence of the defendant. In fact, the Defendant is presumed to be innocent, and the burden of proof is on the State to prove that he's guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and what the Court thinks about guilt or innocence, if anything, is irrelevant because that is the decision for the jury alone. We have stated that: [T]he trial judge must `be careful and cautious and not comment on the evidence.' Phillips v. State, 597 P.2d 456, 458 (Wyo.1979) (quoting Peterson v. McMicken (Nelson's Estate), 72 Wyo. 444, 499, 266 P.2d 238, 261 (1954)). In a trial before a jury, the trial judge must abstain from expressing or indicating, by word, deed, or otherwise, his personal feelings on the weight or quality of the evidence. Id. Comments or expressions of opinion on the evidence which have the tendency to indicate bias on the trial judge's part are regarded as being an infringement on the jury's duties and are prejudicial to the defendant. Id. Harris v. State, 933 P.2d 1114, 1118 (Wyo. 1997). Ryan asserts that the trial judge's comment rises to the level of error per se. We disagree. More than a mere misstatement is necessary to show that the trial judge improperly expressed his opinion on the evidence. Moreover, the curative instruction alleviated any possible prejudice to Ryan.
In the middle of the trial, while leaving the courthouse for the night, one of the jurors heard an unidentified male say, We know who they are now, and they better find him innocent. The juror was certain that the statement was not made by Ryan, his father, or his brother. She told another juror about the incident immediately thereafter, and the next morning she told the other jurors in an effort to ascertain whether it was something that ought to be brought to the bailiff's attention. Upon learning of the comment, the trial judge and counsel asked the juror whether she felt any animosity toward the defendant, whether she could continue to be fair, and whether she felt intimidated by the comment. She indicated that she did not blame Ryan for the comments of others, that the incident would not affect her ability to be fair, and that she did not feel intimidated. Defense counsel immediately moved for a mistrial. The trial judge instead brought each juror into chambers and asked them what they knew about the incident, whether it would affect their ability to be fair, and whether they felt intimidated. Each responded that they could continue to be fair and that they did not feel intimidated. Additionally, the judge made sure that each juror was aware that the statement was not made by Ryan, his father, or his brother. Given these assurances, the motion for mistrial was denied. During deliberations, members of the jury who smoked were permitted to go to a common area outside of the courthouse. While one of the jurors was in this common area, in the company of a bailiff, a courthouse security guard approached the juror and asked, [I]f they were even close, and he said no, and that was it. Defense counsel moved for a mistrial, asserting that, [I]mplicit in that communication is, `Hey, you know, the guy's guilty as hell, and let's just get this over with so we can all go home.' The district judge disagreed and denied the motion, finding that such an innocuous comment was not prejudicial. As early as 1910 we made known that communications between jurors and third parties were improper. In Nicholson v. State, 18 Wyo. 298, 106 P. 929 (1910), we said, that when a defendant in a capital case has shown a separation of the jury, or an opportunity for other parties, and especially witnesses, to communicate with them in violation of the statute, and it appears that defendant was prejudiced, or that it does not appear that he was not prejudiced thereby, a new trial should be granted. Id. at 932. This rule has generally been viewed as establishing that improper communications are presumptively prejudicial to the defendant. Romo v. State, 500 P.2d 678, 681-82 (Wyo.1972). Of course, where the content of the improper communications can be proven, measurement of its prejudicial effect lies within the sound discretion of the district court. See State v. Goettina, 61 Wyo. 420, 158 P.2d 865, 886 (1945) (   The trial court had the right, we think, to conclude from the affidavits that Tom Lavery [the deputy sheriff] did not discuss with the jurors anything relating to the case, and, hence, we must conclude that no ground for a new trial has been shown.). Here, the district court found that the first comment, although potentially troubling, was generally ignored by the jurors, and he was assured that it would not have any bearing on their verdict. The court found the second comment to be improper but harmless small talk. Without further evidence establishing actual prejudice, we cannot say that the district court improperly denied the motions for mistrial.