Opinion ID: 779777
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Prejudicial Effect of Supplemental Jury Charge

Text: 5 If the jury returns an inconsistent verdict, the trial judge has the discretion to resubmit the issues to the jury with a request for clarification. See Fed. R.Civ.P. 49(b) (court may either return the jury for further consideration of its answers to the interrogatories or order a new trial); Auwood v. Harry Brandt Booking Office, Inc., 850 F.2d 884, 891 (2d Cir.1988). Since the trial judge is in the best position to determine if a jury's answers are inconsistent, we review the decision for abuse of discretion. See Kerman v. City of New York, 261 F.3d 229, 244 (2d Cir.2001). The trial judge initially concluded that the jury's award of $50,000 to each plaintiff was inconsistent with its finding that only one plaintiff had suffered an adverse employment action and the court's initial refusal to allow the jury to award damages for emotional distress unless the plaintiff showed physical manifestations. The court, however, then relaxed the standard for proving emotional distress, allowing an award without a showing of physical manifestation if the plaintiff put forth evidence corroborating the claim. We find no error. Furthermore, we see no indication that the district court pushed the jury in her supplemental charges to reach a certain verdict, especially since the jury returned essentially the same verdict after hearing the supplemental charges.