Opinion ID: 1136800
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Did the trial judge err by giving a modified Allen charge?

Text: During closing argument by the defense, tornado warning sirens sounded. The police radio log, introduced without objection, shows this occurred at 4:45 p.m. The alarms were deactivated at 5:00 p.m. The jury retired to deliberate at 5:05 p.m. At 5:25 p.m., the tornado alarm was again activated, to be deactivated at 5:43 p.m. At 6:37 p.m. the jury returned in a deadlock. The trial judge read a modified Allen charge [2] very similar to the one this Court recently unanimously condemned in Bolton v. State, 643 So.2d 942 (Miss. 1994). The defense objected to the reading of this instruction because it puts too much pressure on the jury to surrender any reasonable doubt they might have. The defense renewed its objection in its motion for a new trial. This Court has for twenty years held that any deviation from the approved Sharplin charge is reversible error. Bolton v. State, 643 So.2d 942 (Miss. 1994); Brantley v. State, 610 So.2d 1139 (Miss. 1992); Edlin v. State, 523 So.2d 42 (Miss. 1988); Murphy v. State, 426 So.2d 786 (Miss. 1983); Coleman v. State, 350 So.2d 55 (Miss. 1977); Sharplin v. State, 330 So.2d 591 (Miss. 1976). Moreover, this Court forbade state trial courts from using an Allen charge in any of its various forms. This unbroken line of cases represents a longstanding bright line rule for this Court. In response, the State renews its request that this Court overrule Sharplin, and its progeny to the extent necessary to adopt the Fifth Circuit's  Allen Charge. The State argues that we should review each variation from the approved Sharplin instruction on a case-by-case basis. The State further suggests that this Court could review each case upon the totality of the circumstances to determine if the challenged instruction was coercive. This Court has continually rejected the same argument and will not overrule this principled line of cases. Moreover, the fact that tornado sirens were blaring during the jury's deliberations makes this case an unfavorable candidate to adopt any change in the Court's jurisprudence. That is, even if the Court were to accept the recommendation of the State, the bad weather likely pressured the jury's analysis as did the instruction, a combination forcing the jury to reach a snap judgment in order to get home to make sure all was well with their property and loved ones. The reading of the improper Allen charge was reversible error per se as it has been for twenty years.