Opinion ID: 546906
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The jury's consideration of extrinsic evidence.

Text: 15 Diane Luffred contends that her convictions must be reversed because the jury considered extrinsic evidence during its deliberation. Three times during trial the government sought to introduce into evidence a chart purportedly tracing, through deposits and withdrawals, the proceeds of the United Bank loan. The chart reflected the government's theory of the case and sought to tie Diane Luffred to each deposit and withdrawal made by Peter Luffred by listing her as an account-holder and authorized signer. The chart also depicted Diane Luffred as having signed the two checks that purportedly carried her signature, despite the fact that the authenticity of the signature was the subject of serious dispute. 2 Objections to admission of the chart into evidence were sustained each time it was offered by the government. Excluded from the evidence, the chart was used as a trial aid during the government's closing argument. 16 The jury began its deliberations. During a lunch break the jury asked the deputy marshal for the chart. The marshal imprudently gave it to them. The jury resumed its deliberations for about 30 minutes before the court's case manager became aware of the marshal's action, retrieved the chart, and informed the trial judge, who then advised counsel of the error. The court denied a defense motion for mistrial for lack of a showing of prejudice and the defense requested a curative limiting instruction. The court complied by instructing the jury to disregard anything it may have learned from the chart but then added that the chart had been supported by the evidence ... to a great extent or perhaps completely.... 17 It is firmly established in this circuit that a defendant is entitled to a new trial when extrinsic evidence is introduced into the jury room unless there is no reasonable possibility that the jury's verdict was influenced by the material that improperly came before it. Llewellyn v. Stynchcombe, 609 F.2d 194, 195 (5th Cir.1980) (citing Farese v. United States, 428 F.2d 178 (5th Cir.1970)). See also Paz v. United States, 462 F.2d 740 (5th Cir.1972), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 820, 94 S.Ct. 115, 38 L.Ed.2d 52 (1973). Prejudice to the defendant, therefore, is a rebuttable presumption; the government has the burden of proving the harmlessness of the breach. United States v. Howard, 506 F.2d 865 (5th Cir.1975). Relevant to this determination are the content of the extrinsic material, the manner in which it came to the jury's attention, and the weight of the evidence against the defendant. Llewellyn, 609 F.2d at 195. 18 The government seeks to rebut the presumption of prejudice by arguing that the chart constituted nothing more than a summary of its evidence against Diane Luffred, that the defense referred to it in its own closing argument, and that the jury had only 30 minutes to consider its contents before it was taken from them. We are not persuaded. 19 The chart boldly manifested that Diane Luffred had signed two checks and then connected her to six other distributions by listing her as an authorized signer or a co-holder of the account. This graphic depiction of the government's theory of the case deliberately blurred the distinction between Diane Luffred's actual involvement in the distribution of the funds and her power to distribute them because she could draw checks on the accounts. That the jury specifically called for the chart satisfies the requisite proof of prejudice. The jury deemed it of value in its deliberations. Moreover, the court's limiting instruction did more to exacerbate rather than alleviate the situation. Diane Luffred is entitled to a reversal and a new trial. 3 20