Opinion ID: 766641
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: cornett

Text: 10 Cornett raises multiple issues on appeal, including jury misconduct, right to be present at a juror misconduct hearing,right to cross-examination and ineffective assistance of counsel. 2 We have considered the oral arguments of counsel, reviewed the parties' briefs and the record designated for appeal. The evidence of Cornett's guilt as the leader of the conspiracy is ample and cogent. The issues he seeks to raise on appeal are governed by well-settled principles of law and are meritless. The jury misconduct argument is without merit because Cornett has not demonstrated any prejudice due to the exposure of extrinsic evidence to the jury. See, e.g., United States v. Kelley, 140 F.3d 596, 608 (5th Cir. 1998). The commencement of a non-evidentiary hearing regarding possible juror misconduct without Cornett's presence was not reversible error because Cornett had no right to be present at a conference or hearing upon a question of law such as the one conducted by the district court, 3 and in any event, any such right was waived by the presence of his counsel. 4 See, e.g., United States v. Cowan, 819 F.2d 89, 94 (5th Cir. 1987); United States v. Provenzano, 620 F.2d 985, 997 (3rd Cir. 1980). The right to cross-examination argument is without merit because Cornett was allowed sufficient cross-examination to expose to the jury the facts from which jurors, as the sole triers of fact and credibility, could appropriately draw inferences relating to the reliability of the witness. United States v. Restivo, 8 F.3d 274, 278 (5th Cir.1993), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 807 (1994). Accordingly, Cornett establishes no reversible error, and we affirm his convictions and sentences.