Opinion ID: 2356269
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Jury's Replaying of Recorded Statements Outside the Courtroom

Text: Flanagan argues that the circuit court erred in allowing the deliberating jury to replay her recorded statements outside the courtroom: During its deliberations, the jury notified the court that it wanted access to a tape recorder, and this request prompted a discussion between the court and counsel about the issue of a TV/VCR already being in the jury room. Flanagan objected to allowing the tape recorder or the TV/VCR to be utilized by the jury for the purpose of having the audio and video-taped statements replayed to the jury outside of the courtroom and outside of her presence. The circuit court rejected the argument, finding that the tapes had been introduced into evidence. Shortly thereafter, a discussion was held concerning the belief that the jury was then watching the video tape in the jury room. Flanagan argues that the replaying of these recorded statements could only be appropriately done in open court, because it was a substantial step in the proceedings and she had a right to be present pursuant to Ark.Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e) and Davlin v. State, 313 Ark. 218, 853 S.W.2d 882 (1993). The State contends that since the jury did not ask to be informed on a point of law, and there was no interaction between the trial judge and the jury during deliberations, § 16-89-125(e) is inapplicable. Rather, the State argues that § 16-89-125(d)(3) is the applicable statute. The State, citing Goff v. State, 341 Ark. 567, 19 S.W.3d 579 (2000), contends that the tapes in question were items of physical evidence, and the jury had a right to review them during deliberations outside the presence of the judge, counsel, and the appellant. We recently addressed this issue in Anderson v. State, 367 Ark. 536, 242 S.W.3d 229 (2006), where the appellant argued that the circuit court erred in sending his recorded statement to the deliberating jury. In that case, the jury requested a document that had already been admitted into evidence. Consistent with the circuit court's practice, all exhibits, including an audiotape of appellant's statement and a tape player, were sent into the jury. We stated: What is at issue is a taped statement that was played at trial and admitted into evidence. It was' one of the exhibits sent to the jury when it requested the Eason document. What the jury asked for was a paper exhibit. Under section 16-89-125(d)(3), the Eason document, being a paper document, was certainly properly made available to the jury by the circuit court. The tape was not a paper document. Although the statute uses the term papers, the cases interpreting section 16-89-125(d)(3) do not limit exhibits that may be given to the jury during deliberations to papers. In Goff v. State, 341 Ark. 567, 19 S.W.3d 579 (2000), we held that it was within the circuit court's discretion under Ark.Code Ann. § 16-89-125(d)(3), to allow all exhibits, including a hammer, to be given to the jury during deliberations. Arkansas Code Annotated Section 16-89-125(d)(3) does not prohibit the jury from receiving and considering all exhibits, including the tape of Anderson's statement during deliberations. However, Anderson argues that allowing the jury access to the tape during deliberations was a violation of Ark. Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e). This was enacted as Section 248 of the Criminal Code of 1869 and is identical to Ark. Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e), which provides: After the jury retires for deliberation, if there is a disagreement between them as to any part of the evidence or if they have a desire to be informed on a point of law, they must require the officer to conduct them into court. Upon their being brought into court, the information required must be given in the presence of or after notice to the counsel of the parties. Anderson alleges that under the analysis in Davlin v. State, 313 Ark. 218, 853 S.W.2d 882 (1993), Ark.Code Ann, § 16-89-125(e) prohibits sending the tape into the jury deliberations. In Davlin , the jury asked during deliberations to view the videotaped statement of the victim. The facts of Davlin distinguish it from the present case. In discussing the statute now codified as Ark.Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e), this court said: The design of the lawmakers in the enactment of this statute was to protect defendants on trial as well as the State, after causes have been finally submitted to the jury for its deliberation and verdict, against any further steps being taken in the case in regard to the evidence or the law unless in open court and after notice to the counsel of the respective parties. Aydelotte v. State, 170 Ark. 1192, 177 Ark. 595, 603-04, 281 S.W. 369, 372 (1926); see also Golf v. State, 261 Ark. 885, 552 S.W.2d 236 (1977); Boone v. State, 230 Ark. 821, 327 S.W.2d 87 (1959). The court has more recently stated that the purpose of Ark.Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e) is to protect against misinformation communicated to the jury. Sanders v. State, 317 Ark. 328, 878 S.W.2d 391 (1994). Thus, the purpose of section 16-89-125(e) is to protect against any further steps being taken with respect to evidence unless done in open court with counsel present. No further step was taken with respect to the evidence against Anderson in this case. The jury was given the tape they had already heard to replay if they chose to do so. In Davlin , the videotape had portions that were not played at trial: The record states that the videotape would be replayed in the jury room just as it was at trial, with certain prejudicial portions deleted. However, the record is silent with respect to what actually occurred in the jury room and therefore does not assure us there was a lack of prejudice in the replaying of the tape. Davlin, 313 Ark. at 221, 853 S.W.2d at 884. Thus, while the proposal was to replay the tape just as it had been played at trial, the record did not show that it was so replayed. In other words, if excluded portions of the videotape were played to the jury, a further step was taken in respect to the evidence in violation of the statute. Strict compliance with Ark.Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e) is required. McKinney v. State, 303 Ark. 257, 797 S.W.2d 415 (1990); Rollie v. State, 236 Ark. 853, 370 S.W.2d 188 (1963). Where there is a violation, prejudice is presumed, and it is up to the State to disprove that, prejudice. Goff v. State, 329 Ark. 513, 953 S.W.2d 38 (1997); Williams v. State, 264 Ark. 77, 568 S.W.2d 30 (1978). Where it cannot be shown what happened, prejudice is presumed. Tarry v. State, 289 Ark. 193, 710 S.W.2d 202 (1986). In Davlin , giving the requested videotape to the jury created the possibility that evidence that was never introduced at trial might be introduced in the jury room. In that case, prejudice had to be presumed because it was impossible to glean from the record whether the prejudicial portions of the tape were deleted as they had been at trial. In the present case, there was no such danger. We hold that there was no violation of Ark. Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e) in this case because the jury received an admitted exhibit where there was no danger of additional evidence being introduced by giving the exhibit to the jury during deliberations. Anderson, 367 Ark. at 541, 242 S.W.3d at 233 (footnotes omitted). The instant case is analogous to the Anderson case. Thus, we agree with the State's contention that the tapes in question, having already been admitted into evidence, were properly made available to the jury by the circuit court, pursuant to § 16-89-125(d)(3). Further, the instant case is distinguishable from the Davlin case, because in this case, giving the tapes in question to the jury did not create the possibility that evidence that was never introduced at trial might be introduced in the jury room. Here, we are not required to presume prejudice because there is no contention that the tapes in question contained excluded, prejudicial evidence. We hold that there was no violation of Ark. Code Ann. § 16-89-125(e) in this case because the jury received admitted exhibits where there was, no danger, of additional evidence being introduced by, giving the exhibits to the jury during deliberations. See Anderson, supra . We also reject Flanagan's argument that the replaying of the recorded statements constituted a substantial step in the proceedings. In Anderson, supra , we explained: It is a basic principle of both our state's and our nation's constitutional law that a criminal defendant has the right to be present in person and by counsel at any critical stage in his or her case. Smith v. State, 343 Ark. 552, 39 S.W.3d 739 (2001); Davlin, supra . A criminal defendant has a Sixth. Amendment right to an attorney at every critical stage of the proceedings. Hammett v. Texas, 448 U.S. 725, 100 S.Ct. 2905, 65 L.Ed.2d 1086 (1980). A criminal defendant has a due process right to be present at critical stages of the proceeding. Kentucky v. Stincer, 482 U.S. 730, 107 S.Ct. 2658, 96 L.Ed.2d 631 (1987). The complete denial of counsel during a critical stage of a judicial proceeding mandates a presumption of prejudice because the adversary process itself has been, rendered presumptively unreliable. Roe v. Flores-Ortega, 528 U.S. 470, 120 S.Ct. 1029, 145 L.Ed.2d 985 (2000). A critical stage in a criminal proceeding is every stage where substantial rights of the criminal defendant may be affected. Mempa v. Rhay, 389 U.S. 128, 88 S.Ct. 254, 19 L.Ed.2d 336 (1967). A critical stage in a criminal proceeding is characterized by an opportunity for the exercise of judicial discretion or when certain legal rights may be lost if not exercised at that stage. Commonwealth v. Johnson, 574 Pa, 5, 13, 828 A.2d 1009, 1014 (2003). .... Anderson objected to submitting the tapes to the jury during deliberations. He argued that it had to be done in open court with him present and represented by counsel. The circuit court refused and allowed the tapes to go to the jury along with all the exhibits admitted into evidence. If replaying the tapes had constituted the presentation of new evidence, Anderson's position would be correct because presentation of new evidence is a critical stage. Perry v. Leeke, 488 U.S. 272, 109 S.Ct. 594, 102 L.Ed.2d 624 (1989). However, there is nothing in the record to show that the jury would have been exposed, to anything other than what was already played at trial. Anderson was present with counsel when the tapes were played at trial and had the opportunity to object and be heard at that time. He does not argue on appeal that the circuit court erred in denying his motion to exclude the tapes. There is nothing about replaying the tapes that would have been any more incriminating to Anderson than the incrimination that may have arisen from playing the tapes at trial. Nor was this a step in the proceedings that was critical to the outcome where his presence would have contributed to the fairness of the procedure. Stincer, supra . The jury was simply given exhibits already admitted into evidence. We hold that, [the] jury's replaying during deliberations audiotapes of an out-of-court statement admitted into evidence and made an exhibit at trial is not a critical stage in criminal proceedings. There Was nothing in this case to indicate that Anderson would suffer any new prejudice by the jury's replaying the tapes. Anderson, 367 Ark. at 542, 242 S.W.3d at 234. Here, too, the jury was simply given exhibits already admitted into evidence. Accordingly, we hold that the jury's replaying during deliberations audiotapes and videotapes of out-of-court statements admitted into evidence and made exhibits at trial is not a critical stage of criminal proceedings.