Opinion ID: 2383290
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The demands of judicial administration.

Text: If a mistrial had been granted, it would have been necessary to begin Martin's trial all over again. The prosecution witnesses would have been required to tell a second jury about the events which they had already related to the first. The judge, (new) jurors, and counsel would all have been subjected to unanticipated burdens on their time. Obviously, in a crowded urban court in which, among other things, incarcerated but presumptively innocent defendants are awaiting their turn to be tried, such duplication ought to be avoided if this can be accomplished without denying Martin his rights. Nevertheless, we substantially agree with the treatment of the judicial economy issue in Martin's brief: The final Jackson factor, the demands of effective judicial administration, should have been a [comparatively] [28] weak consideration and certainly did not outweigh all three of the previous factors. The efforts of the first trial were not completely wasted, because it resulted in a disposition of one of the two defendants. Additionally, while two weeks had been invested in appellant's trial at the time of Brandon's plea, one of the two weeks was spent in pre-trial motions hearings which would not have to be repeated at a second trial. Even if a waste of one week of trial were significant, [29] [nevertheless], given the magnitude of appellant's constitutional interests and the strength of the other three factors, the trial court should have granted the mistrial motion. Moreover, [t]his case demonstrates once again that the shortest way around is often the longest way through. Burns v. Thiokol Chem. Corp., 483 F.2d 300, 302 (5th Cir.1973) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). In Burns, the trial judge, apparently attempting to expedite an employment discrimination case, sharply restricted the plaintiff's discovery. Following a trial on the merits, the judgment was reversed on appeal because of the erroneous restriction. The good judicial husbandry, United States v. Dogan, 314 F.2d 767, 772 (5th Cir.1963), which had doubtless been the trial judge's goal was therefore never achieved. In the present case, as in Burns, the judge's refusal to declare a mistrial will now require a second presentation not only of the prosecution case, but of the defense case as well. Closing arguments, the trial judge's charge, and jury deliberations will have to be repeated too. There will be more duplication, not less, than would have occurred if Martin's motion had been granted. The trial judge had no crystal ball. He could not read appellate minds in advance. He could only call the shots as he saw them. It is no reflection on any trial judge, who must rule almost immediately, with limited opportunity for reflection, that an appellate court, which has far more opportunity for research and deliberation, ultimately reaches a different conclusion. But where, as here, a defendant's right to present his defense is implicated, it is worth noting that if the judge gives primacy to the public interest in judicial economy, arguably at the expense of the defendant's rights, there is always the risk that his or her ruling will assure neither. Considering all of the Jackson factors together, we are of the opinion that the trial judge accorded too little (if any) recognition to Martin's right to present his defense, and (perhaps understandably after devoting two weeks to a case), overemphasized the short-term demands of judicial economy. Judge Wagner, in dissent, emphasizes that the judge's decision with respect to the motion for a mistrial was confided to his discretion, and we agree that we may review the judge's exercise of that discretion only for abuse. Judicial discretion must, however, be founded upon correct legal principles. In re J.D.C., 594 A.2d 70, 75 (D.C.1991). The trial judge having either altogether ignored Martin's constitutionally-based right to present exculpatory testimony, see J.D.C. supra, 594 A.2d at 75, or at the least substantially underweighed it, see King, supra, 550 A.2d at 353, his exercise of discretion rested on a legally infirm foundation and cannot be sustained. As a result, Martin was denied the fair trial which was his constitutional due. See Williams, supra, 200 Conn. at 317-21, 511 A.2d at 1003-06.