Opinion ID: 1498211
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: The court erred in refusing to put the questions to the jury as asked for by appellants' counsel, said counsel to determine the prejudices of the jury.

Text: Counsel calls attention to the following excerpts from the record: Mr. Gottfried: Would your honor ask the members of the jury whether or not they would give the testimony of the defendants the same credence and weight they would give the testimony of a Government investigator or employee of the Government. The Court. Well, I will answer that request the same as I answered Mr. Binns' request. The jury is the sole judge of the weight of the testimony of the witnesses. The witnesses will appear before them and the jury can judge for themselves. That is their province. In the first place, it is not only the jury's right but its duty, in weighing the testimony of a defendant, to consider his interest in the outcome of the case. In Reagan v. United States, 157 U.S. 301, 311, 15 S.Ct. 610, 613, 39 L.Ed. 709, the leading case on the subject, the court said: Tested by these rules, we see in the instruction objected to nothing of which complaint can reasonably be made. In the first place it lays down a general rule applicable to all circumstances, and then, in the latter part, simply calls attention to the fact that the defendant has a deep personal interest in the result of the suit, and that that should be considered by the jury. There is no declaration nor intimation that the defendant has been untruthful in his testimony. There is only a reference to the jury of the matter of credibility coupled with the declaration that interest in the result is a circumstance to be weighed in its determination. This, clearly, is unobjectionable. See also Schulze v. United States, 9 Cir., 259 F. 189, 191, 192. Therefore it clearly is not reversible error for a trial court, on the voir dire, to decline to ask members of the jury in advance of the testimony whether, in effect, they will ignore the fact that the defendant has an interest in the outcome of the trial, and will give his testimony the same credence and weight they would give the testimony of a Government Investigator or employee of the Government, who may or may not have a comparable interest in an opposite outcome. Furthermore, considerable discretion is lodged in the court as to the questions that are to be asked on voir dire. In Connors v. United States, 158 U.S. 408, 413, 15 S.Ct. 951, 953, 39 L.Ed. 1033, the court used the following language: It is quite true, as suggested by the accused, that he was entitled to be tried by an impartial jury; that is, by jurors who had no bias or prejudice that would prevent them from returning a verdict according to the law and evidence. It is equally true that a suitable inquiry is permissible in order to ascertain whether the juror has any bias, opinion, or prejudice that would affect or control the fair determination by him of the issues to be tried. That inquiry is conducted under the supervision of the court, and a great deal must, of necessity, be left to its sound discretion. This is the rule in civil cases, and the same rule must be applied in criminal cases. See also Brady v. United States, 9 Cir., 26 F. 2d 400, 403, certiorari denied, 278 U.S. 621, 49 S.Ct. 24, 73 L.Ed. 542. We do not believe that the court below abused its discretion in refusing to ask the jury the question requested by the appellants. In an effort to spell out reversible error, the appellants have indulged in microscopic criticisms of the record below. Such tactics call to mind the language used in Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 83, 62 S.Ct. 457, 470, 86 L.Ed. 680: Perhaps the court did not attain at all times that thoroughgoing impartiality which is the ideal, but our examination of the record as a whole leads to the conclusion that the substantial rights of the petitioners were not affected. The trial was long and the incidents relied on by petitioners few. We must guard against the magnification on appeal of instances which were of little importance in their setting. [Cases cited] Again, in United States v. Breen, 2 Cir., 96 F.2d 782, 784, certiorari denied, 304 U.S. 585, 58 S.Ct. 1061, 82 L.Ed. 1546, it was said: All too often, it seems, appellants like these become overcritical of a trial judge after conviction and on appeal seek to try him instead of the merits or demerits of their cause. See also Garland v. State of Washington, 232 U.S. 642, 646, 34 S.Ct. 456, 58 L.Ed. 772; Garber v. United States, 6 Cir., 145 F.2d 966, 974. We have carefully examined the entire record, and find no reversible error. Accordingly, the judgments are affirmed.