Opinion ID: 343348
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Waiver of Twelve Member Jury.

Text: 18 After the jury had deliberated for approximately eleven hours, one of the jurors developed a nosebleed and did not return for further deliberations. The trial judge instructed the eleven remaining jurors to proceed and that the absent juror would be excused if he did show up. Defendant was not present in court at this time, but an attorney representing him was there and made no objection. The trial judge referred to a pre-trial stipulation that deliberations could proceed in the event one juror became disabled. R.T. 485. The docket sheet in the district court indicates that a written stipulation on this subject was filed with the district court but it was not designated by appellant as part of the record on appeal. 19 Rule 23(b), Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, provides that  at any time before verdict the parties may stipulate in writing with the approval of the court that the jury shall consist of any number less than 12. A written stipulation provides the best record of evidence of the defendant's consent. United States v. Guerrero-Peralta, 446 F.2d 876, 877 (9th Cir. 1971), citing United States v. Virginia Erection Corp., 335 F.2d 868, 871 (4th Cir. 1964). But, cf. United States v. Ricks, 155 U.S.App.D.C. 57, 475 F.2d 1326, 1328 (1973). The rule does not require that the defendant again consent when the stipulation is put into effect. 6 Although circumstances required that the stipulation be put into effect, those circumstances were precisely those contemplated by the rule providing for such stipulations, and the nature of the right waived by the stipulation did not change because of the change in circumstances. Any suggestion that the written consent in this case was invalid cannot be entertained on this appeal, for such a claim would depend on matters wholly outside the record. 20