Opinion ID: 353822
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Inability to Agree

Text: 31 At oral arguments in this case, the government steadfastly maintained that the district court's decision to declare a mistrial was based in part upon the jury's inability to reach a verdict. While it is plain that such circumstances have been deemed sufficient to create a manifest necessity for mistrial, Keerl v. Montana, 213 U.S. 135, 138, 29 S.Ct. 469, 53 L.Ed. 734 (1909); Dreyer v. Illinois, 187 U.S. 71, 84-86, 23 S.Ct. 28, 47 L.Ed. 79 (1902); Logan v. United States, 144 U.S. 263, 297-98, 12 S.Ct. 617, 36 L.Ed. 429 (1892); Rothaus v. United States, 319 F.2d 528, 529 (5th Cir. 1963), the record before us will not support a finding that the district court could have reasonably determined that an impasse had been reached. Several factors lead us to this conclusion. 32 First, the order denying appellant's motion to dismiss mentions the possibility of deadlock only in passing. The jury did not expressly profess an irreconcilable conflict as to the guilt or innocence of appellant, see Logan v. United States, 144 U.S. at 297-98, 12 S.Ct. 617; United States v. Gunter, 546 F.2d 861, 865 (10th Cir. 1976); Grogan v. United States, 394 F.2d 287, 289-90 (5th Cir. 1967), cert. denied, 393 U.S. 830, 89 S.Ct. 97, 21 L.Ed.2d 100 (1968), and the court neither made a finding in this regard 5 nor indicated any proclivity to terminate the proceedings without further deliberation. More importantly, the foreman's statements to the court clearly establish that the jurors thought they were capable of returning a verdict. 33 This court has held that, in evaluating the propriety of a mistrial grounded upon a jury's inability to reach a verdict, the trial judge's communications with the jurors are particularly significant. United States v. Gordy, 526 F.2d 631, 636 (5th Cir. 1976). Here the foreman not only expressly stated that the jury had been engaged in discussion just prior to being summoned to open court, but also requested additional time within which to decide the case. 6 Under these circumstances, the district court could not have reasonably determined that further deliberations would have been futile, see United States v. Gordy, 526 F.2d at 637, and we decline to infer that the jury's initial expression of difficulty with the case played any role in the court's decision to direct a mistrial. Cf. Downum v. United States, 372 U.S. 734, 738, 83 S.Ct. 1033, 10 L.Ed.2d 100 (1963) (reasonable doubts must be resolved in favor of accused in double jeopardy cases).