Opinion ID: 2084428
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sleeping Juror Contention

Text: According to Bialach, one of the jurors slept through closing arguments and jury instructions. In support of that contention, Bialach cites the following exchange between the attorneys and the trial judge, after the instructions were given to the jury: The Court: Any exceptions to the charge? [Defense Counsel]: No exceptions, Judge. [The State]: Nothing, Your Honor. I would only point out that juror number ten was asleep through most of that, and [defense counsel] put her to sleep and I assisted, and the only person she listened to was the Court. The above-quoted exchange is the only substantive evidence cited by Bialach in support of his claim that a juror slept through part of his trial. As part of the postconviction proceeding that is now before this Court for review, Bialach's defense attorney at trial filed an affidavit with the Superior Court. It states that, to defense counsel's knowledge, no juror slept through any portion of the closing arguments or jury instructions. The affidavit from Bialach's trial attorney also avers that, had he noticed a juror sleeping or being otherwise inattentive, he would have immediately brought the matter to the trial judge's attention for appropriate action. In this case, the record reflects that the trial judge first heard any comment about an alleged sleeping juror when, in response to his request for exceptions to the jury instructions, the prosecutor stated that juror number ten was asleep through most of that. The trial judge determined the prosecutor's remarks were, in essence, a comment about the length of both attorneys' closing arguments. Although criminal trials are generally no place for humor, understanding the prosecutor's comment to be facetious, the trial judge permitted the jury to retire and deliberate without further inquiry.