Opinion ID: 1697053
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failing to Object to a Juror's Participation in the Trial

Text: Evans asserts that his counsel provided ineffective assistance at the guilt phase by failing to object to juror Taylor's participation in the trial. Evans argues that juror Taylor interjected herself into the trial as an unsworn witness to answer a question concerning a traffic light that was of particular importance to the defense's theory, namely, that it was impossible for Evans to have traveled the distances in the allotted time as asserted by the State. Although counsel did not remember whether he heard juror Taylor make the comment or about which intersection she was speaking, he recalled the judge reminding her that jurors were not allowed to participate in the trial. He decided not to further object or request an additional inquiry into whether any members of the panel were improperly influenced because she was a good defense juror, counsel believed the judge cured any possible error with the comment by instructing the juror not to participate in the trial, and he knew that she was the alternate and therefore any extrinsic information that she may have had was unlikely to reach the deliberation room. Based on this testimony, we agree that counsel strategically decided not to object to a juror's single comment, where the juror was admonished by the trial judge and the comment appears to have had minimal relevance in relation to the trial as a whole, because he believed she was a good defense juror. Because strategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance and counsel's decision here is reasonable considering the circumstances, counsel cannot be deficient for failing to further object. See Occhicone, 768 So.2d at 1048.