Opinion ID: 2144552
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The alternate juror.

Text: After the cause was submitted to the jury the trial court realized an alternate juror had not been discharged in accordance with Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure 17(17), 18(7)(f), (h). The court subsequently stated: [T]he court's recollection ... is that shortly after the jury went to the juryroom and the court's best estimate would be in the area of 25 to 35 minutes thereafter, the court thought about the [location of the] alternate juror, ... instructed the bailiff to call the alternate juror out of the juryroom and ... ascertained that what had transpired in the juryroom in this period of time was that the jury had selected a foreman, but had not entered into any deliberations with respect to the merits of the case of the guilt or innocence of the defendant. Shortly thereafter, the court located counsel for the State and defendant, informed them of what the court had realized and discovered and what action that the court had taken.... After the jury returned its verdict, the defendant filed combined motions for new trial, Iowa R.Crim.P. 23(2)(b)(9), and in arrest of judgment, Iowa R.Crim.P. 23(3), claiming inter alia he was denied a fair trial because the alternate juror had improperly retired with, and the trial court had improperly communicated with, the jury. The motions were denied. On appeal the defendant reasserts his argument that he was denied a fair trial. The State, in turn, argues that he failed to preserve error in the trial court by timely objecting to the alleged irregularities and moving for mistrial. Although counsel for the defendant maintains that no court reporter was actually present when the trial court informed the parties of the circumstances involving the alternate juror, and that as a result the issues were raised in a timely manner by his post-trial motions, he had an obligation to provide a record for objection before the jury returned its verdict. For example, his objections and accompanying motion for mistrial could have been recorded by securing a court reporter or filing a written motion with the clerk, or, if neither of those opportunities were present, by lodging a verbal objection and motion and preserving error through a bill of exceptions, Iowa R.Crim.P. 23.1. To hold otherwise, under such circumstances, would permit an accused to forego making an objection in the hope of receiving a favorable verdict. Accordingly, this case is distinguishable from those in which defense counsel have become notified of errors occurring in the deliberation process after the jury has returned a verdict. We conclude the defendant failed to properly preserve the alleged errors. See 76 Am.Jur.2d Trial § 1080, at 73 (1975) (A defendant cannot gamble on a favorable verdict before urging a communication with the jury as error, but must make prompt objection and motion for mistrial or he will lose any advantage to be gained by it.); 4 C.J.S. Appeal & Error § 288, at 857, 858 (1957) (Misconduct of the trial jury which cannot be objected to for the first time in the appellate court may consist of ... communicating with the jury, while they were deliberating, without the knowledge or consent of the attorneys .... [and] it is particularly the duty of counsel, by timely objection, to call the attention of the court to the evident impropriety of ... the conduct ...; otherwise it would be possible to refrain intentionally from making objections or reserving exceptions in order to lay ground for reversal.), § 308, at 987 (Except where there has been no opportunity to interpose a formal objection or exception in the lower court ... it is the general rule that objection cannot be urged for the first time on appeal because of error or irregularities with respect to the custody, conduct, or deliberations of the jury.). Cf. State v. Gibb, 303 N.W.2d 673, 678 (Iowa 1981) (Generally, a mistrial motion must be made when the grounds therefor first become apparent.); State v. Bakker, 262 N.W.2d 538, 544 (Iowa 1978) (It is defendant's obligation to provide this court with a record which affirmately discloses the error upon which he relies.); State v. Blackwell, 238 N.W.2d 131, 137 (Iowa 1976) (If an incident during trial would cause a jury to become impartial, the logical route would be for the defendant to move for the declaration of a mistrial.); State v. Wallace, 261 Iowa 104, 107, 152 N.W.2d 266, 268 (1967) (though counsel for defendant moved for a mistrial [for trial court's failure to admonish the jury prior to recess] after ... recess had been declared, he voiced no in-court objection to the procedure and afforded the trial judge no opportunity to correct the error). One matter deserves further comment. While he did not prove the possibility of prejudice, e.g., State v. Hempton, 310 N.W.2d 206, 209 (Iowa 1981), it is clear that the defendant. Iowa R.Crim.P. 25(1) [1] as well as his counselshould have been present when the court interviewed the alternate juror after he was removed from the jury room. We have consistently disapproved of trial courts having private communications with jurors. State v. Anderson, 308 N.W.2d 42, 49 (Iowa 1981); State v. Dreesen, 305 N.W.2d 438, 440 (Iowa 1981); State v. Hahn, 259 N.W.2d 753, 757 (Iowa 1977); Blackwell, 238 N.W.2d at 137 (Iowa 1976); State v. Cowman, 212 N.W.2d 420, 425-26 (Iowa 1973); Daniels v. Bloomquist, 258 Iowa 301, 306-307, 138 N.W.2d 868, 871-72 (1965); see Rogers v. United States, 422 U.S. 35, 36, 95 S.Ct. 2091, 2093, 45 L.Ed.2d 1, 6 (1975); 3 C. Wright & A. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure § 724, at 202-206 (1969).