Opinion ID: 2548182
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The District Court's Holding Denying the Jurors' Request for Transcripts of Witnesses' Testimony Was Proper

Text: ¶ 31 Mr. Allen's petition for post-conviction relief contained a vague reference to the trial court's denial of the jurors' request for transcripts of the testimony of prosecution witnesses. Although this claim could also have been raised in Mr. Allen's initial appeal and should have been deemed to be procedurally barred, the district court chose to address its merits. The district court found that the denial of the jurors' request comported with Utah Rule of Criminal Procedure 17. A review of rule 17 indicates that the district court's holding was correct. Rule 17(i) states the following in relation to questions by jurors: (1) If the judge permits jurors to submit questions, the judge shall control the process to ensure the jury maintains its role as the impartial finder of fact and does not become an investigative body. The judge may disallow any question from a juror and may discontinue questions from jurors at any time. (2) If the judge permits jurors to submit questions, the judge should advise the jurors that they may write the question as it occurs to them and submit the question to the bailiff for transmittal to the judge. The judge should advise the jurors that some questions might not be allowed. (3) The judge shall review the question with counsel and unrepresented parties and rule upon any objection to the question. The judge may disallow a question even though no objection is made.... Utah R.App. P. 17(i). ¶ 32 Additionally, section ( l ) of rule 17 limits the material the jury may have with them during deliberation to the instructions of the court and all exhibits which have been received as evidence. Rule 17 not only expressly limits the material jurors can have during deliberation, it gives the trial judge wide latitude in deciding which requests of the jury to grant. The district court's finding that denying the jurors' request was proper was indeed consistent with rule 17.