Opinion ID: 2023926
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ability to Interview Jurors

Text: Matheney moved the post-conviction court to order the jury commissioner to disclose the names of the jurors and alternates at Matheney's trial, so he could investigate whether the jury had been exposed to any extraneous influences. The court denied Matheney's motion on the grounds that there had been no indication of any outside influences on the jury justifying such an order. The court reasoned that until a petitioner makes an initial showing of a reasonable belief that the jury might have been improperly influenced, the jurors' interests in privacy and repose outweigh a petitioner's interest in uncovering possible improper influences on a jury. (P.C.R. at 1218-19.) While impermissible harm can accrue to defendants when juries are improperly influenced by extraneous information, see, e.g., Wilson v. State, 511 N.E.2d 1014 (Ind. 1987), we agree with the post-conviction court that protection of the jurors' interests in privacy and repose is ample reason to require some hint of a problem before granting a motion to disclose the jurors' names. Cf. Stinson v. State, 262 Ind. 189, 313 N.E.2d 699 (Ind.1974) (affirming denial of request to set aside the jury's verdict supported by juror affidavits claiming impermissible irregularities in deliberation, because an opposite ruling would lead to juror harassment by both sides of litigation resulting in an unconscionable burden upon citizens who serve on juries). Matheney's counsel had access to the name of the jury foreperson, as it was a part of the trial court's record. (P.C.R. at 1219.) Indeed, counsel conversed with her regarding any possibility of jury tampering or the receipt of extraneous information by its members and found no evidence of misconduct. (P.C.R. at 1220.) Thus, Matheney had access to other reasonable means of discovering hints of misconduct without the requested order of disclosure. The trial court's ruling was not clearly erroneous.