Opinion ID: 1145492
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The Referee's Ruling

Text: After hearing evidence, Judge Brown issued his report. Apart from summarizing the evidence, the following represent his entire findings and conclusions in this matter: 1. Cathy Nordstrom had greater knowledge of this case than she revealed on voir dire. The Court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Cathy Nordstrom at least overheard conversations regarding the double homicide while employed at First Security Savings and Loan prior to her selection as a juror. 2. Cathy Nordstrom did not prejudge Petitioner's guilt prior to trial. No credible testimony was received indicating that Cathy Nordstrom had in fact prejudged the defendant's guilt. Although she had knowledge regarding the case, no credible testimony was received indicating that she expressed any opinion regarding the defendant's guilt or regarding the double homicide at all prior to her selection as a trial juror. The Court does not consider Ms. Nordstrom's conversations regarding the case at Frankie's Champagne Palace following her selection as a juror as indicative of her having prejudged the case. Although certainly the discussions should not have taken place and were a violation of the trial court's admonition to all jurors, the most that can be said for the discussions is that Ms. Nordstrom was being influenced by the evidence she was hearing and forming impressions thereof and passing those impressions on to Kim Robinson. Ms. Nordstrom was one of the last jurors to vote for a guilty verdict indicating that she had not, prior to the submission of the case, prejudged the defendant's guilt, although she certainly had been swayed by the evidence received. 3. Cathy Nordstrom did discuss the case with her co-workers while sitting as a juror in this case. As stated above, the court finds Kim Robinson to be generally believable and therefore finds that the conversations did take place at Frankie's Champagne Palace during the guilt phase of the trial. We did not ask the referee to make a recommendation regarding whether petitioner was entitled to relief. Accordingly, none was made.