Opinion ID: 1882598
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Inability to Interview Jurors

Text: Suggs claims that his constitutional right to litigate claims of juror misconduct was violated by Florida Rule of Professional Conduct 4-3.5(d)(4), which prohibits a lawyer from communicating with jurors in any case to which the lawyer is connected. Suggs could have and should have brought this claim on direct appeal. Since he did not, the postconviction court was correct to find that the claim was procedurally barred. The postconviction court also properly found this claim to be meritless. This Court has consistently rejected constitutional challenges to rule 4-3.5(d)(4). See, e.g., Power v. State, 886 So.2d 952, 957 (Fla.2004); Johnson v. State, 804 So.2d 1218 (Fla. 2001). Moreover, the rule provides a mechanism for defendants to interview jurors when there are good faith grounds for a challenge. Before an attorney will be allowed to interview any member of the jury, the moving party must make sworn allegations that, if true, would require a new trial. Johnson, 804 So.2d at 1225. Suggs has neither filed a motion requesting permission to interview jurors, alleged any specific juror misconduct, nor submitted any sworn statements in this regard. His claim appears to be nothing more than a request to investigate possible grounds for finding juror misconduct. See Arbelaez v. State, 775 So.2d 909, 920 (Fla.2000) (finding that a defendant does not have a right to conduct fishing expedition interviews with the jurors after a guilty verdict is returned). [20]