Opinion ID: 1561769
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Motion to Interview Jurors

Text: Five years after the trial, Anderson filed a motion to interview jurors on the grounds that he was shackled at trial in view of the jury. Following a hearing, the trial court denied Anderson's motion because there was no evidence that the jurors observed the shackles and there was no showing of juror misconduct. A trial court's decision on a motion to interview jurors is reviewed pursuant to an abuse of discretion standard. Marshall v. State, 976 So.2d 1071, 1077 (Fla.2007). Because there is no indication in the record that any of the shackles were perceptible to any members of the jury, we agree with the circuit court's decision and conclude that the court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion. To have granted the motion would have allowed Anderson to conduct a fishing expedition interview of the jurors, a practice which we have previously rejected. See Arbelaez v. State, 775 So.2d 909 (Fla.2000). Thus, we deny relief on this claim.