Opinion ID: 1652716
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: violation of krs 29a.310(2)

Text: Appellant asserts it was reversible error for the trial judge to deny her motion for a mistrial after she discovered that Sheriff Jeff Staples, a witness for the Commonwealth, had engaged in conversations with three jurors during trial recesses. KRS 29A.310(2) provides as follows: No officer, party, or witness to an action pending, or his attorney or attorneys shall, without leave of court, converse with the jury or any member thereof upon any subject after they have been sworn. At a hearing in chambers on Appellant's motion, the following information was adduced concerning the violations: (1) Juror Lisa Rothman Puckett approached Sheriff Staples to report a drunken driver on the road and the sheriff responded that he would check out the report. (2) Juror Jerry Carter, an employee of Kentucky Utilities Company, mentioned the severe storm which had occurred the previous evening, and Sheriff Staples inquired whether any power lines were down. Carter responded that none were down. (3) Juror Jan Russell, a teacher at Hart Memorial School had previously worked with Sheriff Staples in the DARE program and wanted to know why that program was not being offered at her school. The trial judge found that none of these conversations had any relationship to the case on trial, thus the violation of KRS 29A.310(2) was harmless. We agree. A mistrial is not warranted if the conversation between the witness and the juror was innocent and matters of substance were not involved. Jones v. Commonwealth, Ky. App., 662 S.W.2d 483, 484 (1983); see also Owings v. Webb's Ex'r, 304 Ky. 748, 202 S.W.2d 410 (1947); C.V. Hill & Co. v. Hadden's Grocery, 299 Ky. 419, 185 S.W.2d 681 (1945); Canter v. Commonwealth, 176 Ky. 360, 195 S.W. 825 (1917). The true test is whether the misconduct has prejudiced the defendant to the extent that he has not received a fair trial. Cf. Byrd v. Commonwealth, Ky., 825 S.W.2d 272, 275 (1992).