Opinion ID: 2619585
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Was error committed by the request for jury sequestration?

Text: Walker asserts error because he was forced to move for jury sequestration pursuant to NRS 175.320 (now NRS 175.391) in the presence of the jury and was thereby prejudiced. After the jury selection Walker moved to sequester, but his motion to sequester was denied with leave to renew at a later time. Later he did move to sequester in the presence of the jury and it was granted. Then, well into the trial, Walker in the absence of the jury indicated that the jury was inconvenienced by the sequestration and the long evening sessions. He then abandoned his objection to the night sessions and indicated he meant really to object only to sequestration which he had originally requested. The jury was polled and all indicated that the night sessions were satisfactory. Walker's complaint that he was forced to request sequestration in the presence of the jury by the court is not exactly accurate but the trial court indicated as much by stating that it was relying on Sollars v. State, 73 Nev. 248, 316 P.2d 917 (1957). The court erred in its interpretation of Sollars in requiring the motion to be made before the jury, but since the polled jurors were satisfied nothing appears to inject prejudice by the error.