Opinion ID: 349452
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Role of Robinson's Counsel

Text: 20 Appellants Green and Wesley argue that the case of codefendant Warren Robinson should have been severed prior to selection of the jury. The claim is based on the fact that Ivan Fisher, Robinson's attorney, acted as lead defense counsel, exercising in the jury selection process the challenges allowed to defense counsel as a group, while at the time intending to have his client admit the conspiracy and implicate other defendants. This intention, announced out of the jurors' presence on the afternoon of the first day of jury selection, led to defense motions to sever Robinson and eventually, on the fourth day, to his severance. Mr. Fisher's role as lead counsel in the intervening days 6 was not such as could cause prejudice to the other defendants, and no prejudice has been shown. Lead counsel's role was to come to side-bar conferences and to be responsible for seating arrangements; he was also to listen to a juror's wish to be excused on the grounds of hardship. In the one case in which Mr. Fisher approached the side bar alone in connection with a hardship excuse, the juror was excused without defense objection; remaining hardship excuses were heard by the court alone without objection, with each complaining juror excused, a process that is proper under United States v. Woodner, 317 F.2d 649, 651 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 375 U.S. 903, 84 S.Ct. 192, 11 L.Ed.2d 144 (1963) (courts hearing hardship excuses altogether out of hearing of defense counsel not remotely prejudicial). Each counsel was permitted to cast his own vote on the peremptory challenges, which is proper, see United States v. Aloi, 511 F.2d 585, 598 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 1015, 96 S.Ct. 447, 46 L.Ed.2d 386 (1975), and decisions were made by majority vote. There is no showing that Mr. Fisher's participation in any way resulted in improper selection of the jury.