Opinion ID: 1389650
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: refusal to sequester the jury during the pendency of the trial

Text: [16] Under CrR 6.7, the trial judge has broad discretion to determine whether the jury shall be allowed to separate during the trial, prior to deliberations. State v. Wixon, 30 Wn. App. 63, 631 P.2d 1033 (1981); see also State v. Smalls, 99 Wn.2d 755, 665 P.2d 384 (1983). For a defendant to claim abuse of that discretion, the record must indicate that either the nature of the publicity during the trial or the jury's exposure to that publicity created a probability of prejudice. State v. Wixon, supra . Defendant does not make the required showing and, in fact, simply urges this court to make an independent review of the record. What the record shows is that the trial court reviewed the extent of the pretrial publicity, and found that the vast majority of persons questioned for jury duty had only some memory of the publicity surrounding the killings, and that substantial time had elapsed from the time the publicity was disseminated. The trial court specifically stated, in denying the motion for sequestration, that the public interest surrounding the case was primarily related to a certain part of the community as opposed to the community in general; that sequestration might tend to unduly emphasize the case to the jury; and that nothing had yet been presented which indicated that proper admonishments to the jury would be inadequate to protect the defendant. The trial court further indicated that if counsel felt the situation had changed during trial, it would reassess its decision. The motion to sequester was not renewed. Under these circumstances, defendant has not shown an abuse of discretion. In summary, we hold that coconspirator statements may be admissible at trial, whether or not conspiracy has been charged in the information. We find no error in the trial court's evidentiary rulings, and no constitutional infirmity in the mandatory life sentence imposed on defendant. The conviction is affirmed. WILLIAMS, C.J., ROSELLINI, UTTER, BRACHTENBACH, DOLLIVER, DORE, and PEARSON, JJ., and CUNNINGHAM, J. Pro Tem., concur.