Opinion ID: 1915285
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Trial Court's Unanimity Instructions

Text: Appellant next contends that his constitutional rights were violated because the trial court's instruction on unanimity improperly instructed the jury that it must find Appellant guilty, and that no other verdict was acceptable, even though the law allows and provides for circumstances where a jury cannot agree. The court stated: No matter what your verdict may be, it must be unanimous, that is, it must reflect the unanimous choice of each and every one of you on each charge or count. Each and everyone of you must concur and agree on the final verdict which you will return here in open court. Any verdict which does not reflect the view of each and everyone of you would be improper and we could not accept it. In other words, you cannot come back in court and say that you are seven to five, nine to three, ten to two or anything like that. The verdict must be unanimous, either guilty or not guilty on each charge. Notes of Testimony (N.T.) at 1484. Appellant contends that this instruction created a real risk that a juror would surrender his or her feelings and beliefs about the case in order to reach a unanimous verdict. In short, he claims this instruction was judicial coercion. Brief for Appellant at 80. See Commonwealth v. Chester, 526 Pa. 578, 587 A.2d 1367, 1380 (1991) (It is well-established that a verdict brought about by judicial coercion is a legal nullity.). Appellant also alleges trial counsel was ineffective for failing properly to preserve and litigate this issue at trial and on appeal. We are again compelled to find the merits of this claim waived. Trial counsel did not object to the jury instruction at trial. Thus, the issue is not properly preserved. Commonwealth v. Pressley, 584 Pa. 624, 887 A.2d 220, 224 (2005). Moreover, Appellant's attempt to revive this claim under the rubric of ineffective assistance of counsel fails due to Appellant's failure to address meaningfully the necessary prongs of the ineffectiveness test. See Jones, supra .