Opinion ID: 1528579
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The existence of extraordinary circumstances.

Text: Salmon contends in this court that the trial judge abused her discretion by permanently excusing Juror No. 2. He acknowledges that the death of the juror's aunt warranted his release to attend the funeral, but argues that jury deliberations should simply have been deferred until the juror's return. Salmon asserts that the judge should have focused on the nature and duration of the [juror's] absence rather than on the seriousness of the triggering event, and that her failure to do so was error. We have previously adverted to the discussion between court and counsel regarding the possibility of a brief adjournment of the trial. Specifically, the prosecutor suggested that deliberations might be suspended until after Juror No. 2's return, although he expressed concern that, by then, the jurors might not recollect the evidence. The judge rejected the suggestion that deliberations be deferred, not only for the reason stated by the prosecutor, but also because she apprehended that other jurors might become unavailable. Salmon can hardly contend that the judge's concern was baseless. The jurors in this case had been selected on July 1 for what was expected to be a very brief trial. The presentation of the testimony took little more than half a day. Participants had every reason to anticipate that the proceedings would be completed well in advance of the July 4th holiday, and that the trial would not affect any plans they and their families might have for the approaching four-day weekend. Significantly, Salmon's attorney did not utter a word in support of the prosecutor's suggestion that jury deliberations be postponed. Moreover, if the trial judge had decided on the course which Salmon's appellate attorneys now favor, but which his trial counsel never suggested to the court, serious additional concerns would have arisen. The judge was dealing with a bereaved juror who was compelled, upon short notice, to travel to California to attend the funeral of a close relative. He expected to return on July 4th, but unanticipated problems and delays could obviously arise in such a situation. See Johnson v. United States, 619 A.2d 1183, 1187 (D.C.1993) (discussing danger of emotional incapacitation of juror who has lost a parent during deliberations). Indeed, given the juror's necessary departure for California and the upcoming holiday followed by a weekend, failure to excuse the juror would have raised the realistic possibility of having to suspend jury deliberations for nearly a week. See, e.g., United States v. Stratton, 779 F.2d 820, 832 (2d Cir.1985) (four and one-half day delay would risk dulling jury's recollection of evidence and arguments and would pose danger that jurors would discuss case with outsiders). Because of the emergency nature of the juror's problem, the judge had to decide on the appropriate course of action in a short time. [10] In our view, she made a reasonable call. The principal authorities on which Salmon relies are readily distinguishable. In United States v. Tabacca, 924 F.2d 906 (9th Cir. 1991), the jury reported that it was deadlocked after one and one half days of deliberation. The trial judge excused the jurors for the three-day Labor Day weekend. On the Tuesday after Labor Day, one of the jurors called in and stated that his wife had taken his car keys and that he was unable to come to the courthouse. Defense counsel specifically asked the judge to reconvene the jury the following day. The trial judge nevertheless decided to proceed with eleven jurors pursuant to Rule 23(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The remaining jurors returned a guilty verdict approximately two hours later. The Court of Appeals reversed the defendant's conviction, holding that just cause [11] for permanently excusing the juror had not been shown. Id. at 913-14. Tabacca differs from the present case in decisive respects. First, the defendant's position in the trial court was the same as his position on appealhe asserted in both courts that the judge should have deferred jury deliberations for a day so that the twelfth juror could resume his participation. Second, in assessing the existence of just cause or extraordinary circumstances, the unavailability of a juror's car keys for a single day cannot reasonably be compared with the death of a de facto parent and the unexpected need to fly across the country for the funeral. [12] Finally, the three-day holiday was over by the time that the judge ruled, and there was no reason to anticipate the loss of other jurors on the basis of a single day's delay. [13] In United States v. Araujo, 62 F.3d 930 (7th Cir.1995), the jury had been deliberating on a Thursday and Friday preceding the three-day weekend marking Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, but had not yet returned a verdict. On the following Tuesday, the temperature in Chicago was twenty degrees below zero, and one of the jurors was unable to reach the courthouse. On the Wednesday, that juror arrived in court, but another juror called in to report that he had experienced car trouble, that he was stranded on the highway, and that he was unable to come to court. The prosecutor suggested that the juror be excused, but Araujo's attorney objected, requesting that we wait and allow this individual some time. Id. at 932. Over defense objection, the trial judge decided to proceed without the absent juror from the jury. The eleven-member jury returned a verdict of guilty. The appellate court reversed Araujo's conviction. The court held, inter alia, that when the record is unclear as to the juror's inability to serve, and when the facts that are known leave open the possibility that the juror might have been able to resume her service after a reasonably brief delay, just cause for dismissal most likely is lacking. Id. at 935. The grounds upon which we have distinguished Tabacca apply to Araujo as well; Araujo preserved his position in the trial court; Salmon did not. Being stranded with car trouble is not at all like losing a close relative and having to travel far away. Finally, as in Tabacca, the three-day holiday was over. In light of our decision in Duvall, the trial judge would not have abused her discretion by excusing Juror No. 2 even if Salmon had presented to the trial court the claims on which he now relies. Because he did not do so, we conclude, a fortiori, that there was no error.