Opinion ID: 304542
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Prejudicial Newspaper Publicity

Text: 57 Each of the four mornings during the trial a newspaper carried a story concerning the defendant's trial, mentioning the previous conviction and reversal. The court had instructed the jury not to read or view anything about the case. After the first morning, the court in chambers inquired of each juror separately whether he had read any of the articles. Each answered in the negative. The following mornings each was asked in open court if any article had been read. None had seen the stories. No objection was made then, or now, to the procedures followed by the court in this regard. Under these facts, nothing less than a rule that any publication of a prejudicial newspaper story requires a mistrial will aid the defendant. Such a per se rule is contrary to law. McDonald v. United States, 282 F.2d 737 (9th Cir. 1960); Palmer v. United States, 340 F.2d 48 (5th Cir. 1964). 58 Since there was sufficient evidence to permit the jury to find the defendant guilty on both of the counts upon which he was sentenced and the defendant has had a fair trial, the judgment of conviction is affirmed. 59 Affirmed.