Opinion ID: 1111213
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Questioning the Jury Without Counsel Present

Text: (36) Defendant asserts the court erred in questioning the jury at the close of the second day of its guilt phase deliberations, and outside the presence of defendant or his counsel, regarding its numerical division as to count 2, involving the murder of the fetus. (By this time, the jury had reached its unannounced verdict as to count 1, murder of Doreen Erbert, although the record is unclear whether the court was aware of this fact.) During deliberations that morning, the jury requested that Deanna's testimony be read back to them, along with Dr. Hauser's direct testimony concerning the fetus and his entire cross-examination. The jury had also asked to see the machete, which the prosecution suggested was the same as the murder weapon. At the end of the day, the court explained that it wanted to know whether there had been a vote on count 2 so that it might keep track of the deliberations. The court said it did not want anyone to feel the question was intended to be coercive in any way. The court also said that, in asking generally how the vote was divided numerically, it was not interested in learning whether the jury was leaning toward a guilty or not guilty verdict. The foreman responded that the jury's vote was 10 to 2. The jury then answered affirmatively when the court inquired whether all of the jurors were willing to return the next day for further deliberations. Defendant first maintains the court's question improperly coerced the jurors and violated his due process rights. However, we have approved the practice of making such inquiries to assist the court in discharging its obligation to assure a verdict is rendered in the case. (See, e.g., People v. Proctor, supra, 4 Cal.4th at p. 538; People v. Carter (1968) 68 Cal.2d 810, 815 [69 Cal. Rptr. 297, 442 P.2d 353].) Contrary to defendant's claim, the cases do not require that the jury first indicate a possible deadlock before the court may inquire as to its division. The court has wide discretion to determine whether the jury has had enough time to deliberate and may be unable to reach a verdict. ( People v. Price, supra, 1 Cal.4th at p. 467.) Nor does the court's focus on count 2 seem coercive or even unduly intrusive. The court may well have known that the jury had reached a verdict on count 1, and thus had no reason to inquire regarding that count. The jury's request for a readback of Dr. Hauser's testimony concerning the fetus certainly suggested that the jury had turned its attention to count 2 at that point. Defendant also contends the court erred in questioning the jury in the absence of defendant or his counsel. (See People v. Hawthorne (1992) 4 Cal.4th 43, 69 [14 Cal. Rptr.2d 133, 841 P.2d 118] [proscribing communications between judge and jury during deliberations if outside presence of accused and his counsel].) Here, the court did not direct the jury on questions of law or evidence, but merely inquired about its numerical division. Defendant could not possibly have been prejudiced by the procedure. (See People v. Wash (1993) 6 Cal.4th 215, 249-250 [24 Cal. Rptr.2d 421, 861 P.2d 1107].)