Opinion ID: 1855709
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 45

Heading: Guilt verdict

Text: Defendant contends the trial record does not reflect the jury's verdict in the guilt phase. This assertion is blatantly incorrect. The record for the beginning of the penalty phase clearly reads: [19] Ladies and gentlemen, now that you have reached a verdict on the guilt of the defendant in this matter ... The record also contains the jury's verdict sheet: We, the jury find the accused, Todd K. Wessinger, guilty of first degree murder. The trial court minutes, which are contained in the record, also reflect the verdict: At 5:30 p.m., the jury returned. The accused was present in court with counsel, and counsel for the State also being present. The jury was returned to the courtroom, the polling thereof being waived by counsel for all parties. The jury, through its foreperson, returned the following verdict: Mary Daniel-Foreperson, June 24, 1997, Guilty of First Degree MurderTwo Counts. At this time, the Court ordered the minute clerk to poll the jury. The clerk polled the jury by asking each member thereof the following question: (Name of juror), is that your verdict to Count One and Court [sic] Two? All twelve jurors answered in the affirmative as to each count. Finally, the record has been supplemented and now contains the transcript of the reading of the verdict and the polling of the jury. This assignment of error clearly lacks merit as to the verdict in the guilt phase of trial.