Opinion ID: 2587254
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Trial court's failure to order a mistrial

Text: Defendant contends the trial court committed error in connection with its dismissal of Juror Ne. near the conclusion of the penalty phase. Defendant maintains that by failing to order a new trial or a hearing into the juror's competency, while expressing doubts concerning her sanity, the trial court impaired defendant's rights to trial by a competent jury, due process of law as heightened in a capital case, and reliable determinations of guilt and special circumstances. Defendant urges that Juror Ne. exhibited signs of mental instability during jury voir dire and that her participation in the guilt and special circumstance phases of the trial thus requires reversal of the judgment. The record reflects that during the individual death-qualifying voir dire, Juror Ne. gave negative responses to questions designed to ascertain whether she automatically would vote for or against the death penalty. She explained that she was working on her thesis but felt she could sit on a jury as well. In general voir dire, asked about being a juror in a death penalty case, she stated she did not have any bias for or against the death penalty and could perform her duty. When she actually was selected as a juror, however, she inquired whether it was too late to be excused, explaining her concern about committing herself for six weeks, her stressful experiences during the previous 14 months, and her belief that she would be excused because she was a teacher and the wife of a lawyer. The trial court discussed the understandable apprehension a juror would feel at the prospect of sitting on such a case, noted that the prosecution and the defense believed she could be fair, stressed her intelligence, integrity, and sense of duty, and asked her, as one citizen to another, to remain on the panel. Juror Ne. stated that she would attempt to do so and that she valued the opportunity to participate. Following the guilt and special circumstance verdicts, on August 24, 1988, Juror Ne. informed the trial court that her father had suffered a serious stroke and that she was concerned about the length of the trial. When the court indicated that the trial would conclude within several weeks, Juror Ne. stated that she planned to continue but would rather spend the time with her father. On August 31, 1988, in response to an inquiry by another juror, the court indicated that the trial would conclude on September 2, 1988, a Friday, on which day the jury would commence its deliberations. Juror Ne. informed the trial court that she had a flight reservation to visit her dying father on that day because the judge had released the jury on the previous Fridays. The trial court discussed the matter with counsel, who believed that the juror was too preoccupied with the impending death of her father to be effective, and with defendant, who believed Juror Ne. was very weak and would be totally influenced by the other jurors. The trial court agreed to excuse the juror. When the trial court informed Juror Ne. she was being excused, however, she commented that she already had invested 27 days in the case, was not the only person being inconvenienced, wanted to remain on the jury, and would attempt to obtain other flight reservations. She also added, however, that if you think this might prejudice the case in any way, I'd be glad to say that I would request to be dismissed completely. In chambers, the trial court stated: With this latest statement, I doubt this woman's sanity.... I was cursed this morning because I wouldn't excuse her. Now I am being cursed because I will excuse her. The parties indicated that they still wished to excuse Juror Ne., because they did not believe she was capable of performing as a juror in this case. Thereafter, the trial court excused Juror Ne. and selected an alternate juror to take her place. It is apparent that defense counsel not only did not object to the substitution of the juror or move for a mistrial, but sought to have her excused. Therefore, the present claim of error is waived. (See People v. Fudge, supra, 7 Cal.4th 1075, 1100-1101, 31 Cal.Rptr.2d 321, 875 P.2d 36.) In any event, the trial court did not err. Section 1089 provides, in pertinent part: If at any time, whether before or after the final submission of the case to the jury, a juror ... upon other good cause shown to the court is found to be unable to perform his duty, or if a juror requests a discharge and good cause appears therefor, the court may order him to be discharged and draw the name of an alternate, who shall then take his place. Once a trial court is put on notice that good cause to discharge a juror may exist, it is the court's duty `to make whatever inquiry is reasonably necessary' to determine whether the juror should be discharged. ( People v. Espinoza (1992) 3 Cal.4th 806, 821, 12 Cal.Rptr.2d 682, 838 P.2d 204.) The trial court's ruling is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. ( People v. Ashmus, supra, 54 Cal.3d 932, 987, 2 Cal.Rptr.2d 112, 820 P.2d 214.) In the present case, the trial court performed its duty to make reasonable inquiry, determining that by reason of her distress over, and need to visit, her dying father, Juror Ne. was unable to fulfill her duties as a juror. The death of a juror's parent constitutes good cause to discharge the juror if it affects the juror's ability to perform his or her duties. ( People v. Ashmus, supra, 54 Cal.3d 932, 986-987, 2 Cal.Rptr.2d 112, 820 P.2d 214.) By making a brief and apparently flippant remark concerning Juror Ne.'s sanity in reference to her apparent vacillation as to whether or not she should continue to serve, the trial court did not thereby make any finding of actual incompetence on her part to perform the duties of a juror, much less a finding that the juror had been incompetent during the earlier proceedings. Nor do Juror Ne.'s comments, either during jury selection or at the time of her excusal, suggest that such a finding would have been warranted. (See People v. Beeler (1995) 9 Cal.4th 953, 972-975, 39 Cal.Rptr.2d 607, 891 P.2d 153.) Particularly because all parties agreed that the juror should be excused after demonstrating her inability to perform her duties, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in discharging the juror, nor in failing to declare a mistrial.