Opinion ID: 2229932
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to Instruct the Jury of Its Ability to Submit Questions

Text: Finally, the defendant contends that the trial court erroneously failed to instruct the jurors that they could submit questions to witnesses during the trial. Indiana Evidence Rule 614(d) states, in relevant part, A juror may be permitted to propound questions to a witness by submitting them in writing to the judge, who will decide whether to submit the questions to the witness for answer, subject to the objections of the parties, which may be made at the time or at the next available opportunity when the jury is not present. The State responds that the defendant has waived this argument because he failed to tender an instruction on that issue. We first note that Rule 614(d) is permissive and is not mandatory upon the trial court. Furthermore, questioning by jurors is not among the subjects that trial courts are required to address in preliminary instructions. Ind.Trial Rule 51(A). The defendant had an opportunity to present such an instruction to the trial court for consideration. Id. The failure to tender an instruction waives any potential error in the trial court's omission of the instruction. Sanchez v. State, 675 N.E.2d 306, 308 (Ind.1996). Because the defendant failed to tender an instruction on this issue, the issue is waived.