Opinion ID: 864456
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the trial judge properly maintained

Text: THE JURY SELECTION PROCESS AND DETERMINED THE COMPETENCY OF THE JURORS. ¶38. Moody argues that there was juror misconduct resulting in a tainted jury panel. During individual voir dire of jury members on the issue of media exposure, the record reveals that the trial judge was informed by the bailiff that certain excused jurors, after participating in individual voir dire, were returning to the gathering of prospective jurors and informing them as to “what to say to get off the jury.” Judge McKenzie had already initiated a plan of having excused jurors leave by a separate exit so as to avoid “commingling” with 21 the remaining prospective jurors. However, notwithstanding this plan, improper conduct, as mentioned, was occurring. Upon being informed by the bailiff of this conduct, Judge McKenzie then modified his initial plan by having the excused jurors sequestered in the grand jury room until individual voir dire was concluded. During this process, the trial judge denied a defense motion to quash to the jury venire. ¶39. The State cites Myers v. State, 565 So.2d 554, 558 (Miss. 1990), and argues that the conduct of the jurors in the case sub judice fall far short of the improper conduct of the Myers juror who lied or withheld information during voir dire: Following a jury's verdict, where a party shows that a juror withheld substantial information or misrepresented material facts, and where a full and complete response would have provided a valid basis for challenge for cause, the trial court must grant a new trial, and, failing that, we must reverse on appeal. We presume prejudice. Where, as a matter of common experience, a full and correct response would have provided the basis for a peremptory challenge, not rising to the dignity of a challenge for cause, our courts have greater discretion, although a discretion that should always be exercised against the backdrop of our duty to secure to each party trial before a fair and impartial jury. ¶40. Myers is indeed distinguishable from the case sub judice. In Myers, it was revealed that a juror, when asked if she had any relatives who had ever been involved in a criminal case, failed to answer that her husband had federal liquor-related convictions. The juror was called into chambers and interrogated, at which point she revealed that her husband was on federal probation as a result of a liquor violation and that her husband also had liquor violations in Scott County. She told the judge in chambers that she could be a fair and 22 impartial juror, but, as Myers was a case involving the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages, the trial judge dismissed the juror and replaced her with an alternate. We upheld the trial judge’s decision to dismiss that juror. ¶41. The case sub judice is distinguishable from Myers because in today’s case, the record is devoid of identification of any particular trial juror who lied under oath or withheld information.11 There was simply no identified juror who resembled the silent juror in Myers. ¶42. Moody cites Pulliam v. State, 515 So.2d 945, 948 (Miss. 1987) for the proposition that a venire may be quashed where there is a showing of fraud, prejudice, or such a flagrant violation of duty as to amount to fraud. Again, the record here is simply devoid of any indication of fraud on the part of a juror. No doubt, the behavior about which Moody complains should not be condoned by the court, and the record is clear that Judge McKenzie did not condone such conduct on the part of certain members of the jury venire. Indeed Judge McKenzie did take curative action once this irregularity was brought to his attention inasmuch as he immediately put into place a plan to hold the excused jurors in the grand jury room until individual voir dire was concluded. Upon consideration of the applicable case law, such as Porter, and upon review of the record on this issue, there is no revelation of juror conduct rising to a level of fraud or prejudice. This issue is without merit.