Opinion ID: 1753832
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: cross examination by mr. crow:

Text: When did you tell Mr. Dunn about this conversation that you had with Mr. Palmer? A I didn't get to see either one of you gentlemen when I left the Court that day and I called Mr. Dunn from Hidden Acres when I stopped to get a cup of coffee and a sandwich to go. I believe you were there. Q Yes, I think that is where I ate that night, but I don't recall seeing you. Did you come by my table and say anything to me? A No, I was sitting at the bar and I think you left while we were there. Q I was there with my assistant, Mr. Wampler, was I not? He was the other man with me? A Yes. Q He was the same man at the table with me in the Courtroom? A I don't know about that. You were with a man. Q One other fellow? A I believe that is correct. Mrs. Meyer told me that was you. I didn't even pay any attention, getting a sandwich and goingI think about the time to pay for it when she said that you walked out. Q Was that when you called Jim Dunn? A I called him before we left, yes. I had ordered a drink and a sandwich and some coffee to go. Q You called him while you were at the Hidden Acres? A Yes. Q That would have been how long after you talked with Mr. Palmer? A Oh, it couldn't have been too long because I went on down the street. We stopped at another place, we hadn't seen the Tropics and we stopped in there. There was some people in there we knew and talked to them and went to the rest room and went on to Hidden Acres. Q That would have been an hour or so after you talked to Mr. Palmer, correct? A Probably an hour. Q Then of course it would have been on the same day you talked to Mr. Palmer. A Yes, I was only here one day. Q That would have been Tuesday, September 30th, correct? A That was the day we had the trial that I testified here, yes. Q You called Jim Dunn before you left Joplin and went back to Springfield? A Yes. I didn't get to tell him goodbye before I left the Courtroom. I didn't see him. Q Now in your telephone conversation with Jim Dunn did you tell him you had had this conversation with Mr. Palmer? A Yes, I told him I had run into one of the guys from the Jury. I didn't know at that time who he was but I had had a drink with him and he thought things were going pretty well. He said he didn't think I should worry. I don't know whether he referred me to come back over and testify or if the trial was going well. Q So you told Mr. Dunn of your conversation with Mr. Palmer within an hour of that conversation, correct? A It could have been an hour and a half. Q All right. A But it was close. It was the same day, yes. Q The same day. After the second day of trial? A I don't know how long the trial had been going on. It was the same day I was here to testify. Q You were a defense witness in this trial, were you not? A Yes. Q Not called by the State? A No. The other day, I mean at the time I was here you were talking about? Q Yes, at the trial you were a defense witness.    Q Is it a fair statement to say that over all the years since this case occurred you have felt Mr. Edmondson was not guilty of this? A Is that a fair statement? Q Is that a fair statement of your belief and the belief you have held all these years? A Well, everyone has their own opinion. No, I don't think he is guilty. Q And in your conversation with Mr. Palmer if you said anything to him it would have been something that would have been to your knowledge and thinking favorable to Edmondson, would it not? A That is true. Q Nothing that would have helped convict Edmondson? A No. Q Because you don't think he is guilty, you just testified to that. A True. The court found on this testimony that The actions of the juror Palmer in talking to and obtaining information from the witness Huff were not prejudicial to defendant. The witness was a defense witness, favorable to the defendant and did not believe defendant to be guilty. The juror testified that he got only information concerning defendant's past which included information that the witness felt the Greene County Sheriff's office had unjustly harassed the defendant for minor mischief. The juror did not impart any of such information to the other jurors and, according to him, was disregarded by him in arriving at his own decision. Again the cases cited by defendant do not apply. The situation would seem to be within the discretion of the Court under the ruling in State v. O'Neal 426 [436] S.W.2d 241. Section 547.020, V.A.M.S., provides that the court may grant a new trial if a juror has been guilty of misconduct tending to prevent fair and due consideration of the case; and Section 546.230, V.A.M.S., permits separation of the jury prior to submission of cases other than capital cases, and provides that when so permitted, the jury shall be admonished at each adjournment that it is the jurors' duty not to converse with themselves, nor to suffer others to converse with them or in their bearing on any trial subject, or to form or express any opinion on the case until it is finally submitted for deliberation and verdict. This latter statute has been consistently interpreted as in State v. Dodson, Mo., 92 S.W.2d 614, 615[1]:    that if the separation or misconduct of the jury took place during the progress of the trial, the verdict will be set aside, unless the state affirmatively shows that the jurors were not subject to improper influences. But if after the case has been submitted to the jury for its determination, and before a verdict has been reached, there is an opportunity that improper influence could be used on any juror, that alone will require a new trial, even though it be shown that improper influence was not exercised. See also State v. Jones, 363 Mo. 998, 255 S.W.2d 801, 806 [8]. It is the first of the two situations involved in the alleged misconduct of juror Palmer. In that circumstance the relevant question is whether the defendant was prejudiced or that the juror was subjected to any improper influence, State v. Bayless, Mo., 362 Mo. 109, 240 S.W.2d 114, 123 [14-17]; and the trial court has the discretion to determine whether the circumstances require mistrial. State v. O'Neal, Mo., 436 S.W.2d 241, 246[9]. This is the type of incident that all trial judges would avoid and the record in this case is replete with unmistakable admonishments by the judge. Nevertheless, the incident did arise and the experienced trial judge caused the matter to be fully aired in a hearing at which both the juror and the witness involved were examined in detail, as demonstrated, by both counsel and the court. The facts were frankly disclosed and they conclusively demonstrate an absence of prejudice to the defendant and of influence on the juror in question or on the verdict. If the encounter had any impact whatever it was that of influencing the juror to the side of the accused; however, the unanimous verdict totally refutes any such tendency. The same facts also support the judge's discretionary finding against granting a mistrial, and it may not be said that this record shows any abuse of the discretion lodged in the trial court. Judgment affirmed. HOUSER and WELBORN, CC., concur.