Opinion ID: 2069959
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Alleged Failure to Object to Written Instructions

Text: Johnson also alleges that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the decision of the trial court to send written instructions with the jury into deliberations. The written instructions were designed to assist the jury in completing the somewhat complicated verdict forms and did not contain any statements on points of law. Johnson cites to three cases of this Court to establish that a court commits reversible error when it gives written instructions to a jury. Commonwealth v. Karaffa, 551 Pa. 173, 709 A.2d 887 (1998); Commonwealth v. DeHart, 539 Pa. 5, 650 A.2d 38 (1994); Commonwealth v. Oleynik, 524 Pa. 41, 568 A.2d 1238 (1990). Johnson relies on the following language from Oleynik: Where a jury is permitted to take with them written instructions during their deliberations, a question may arise as to the appropriate application of the written instruction when resolving an issue in the cause [sic]. In such a case, it is highly probable the jury would resort to its interpretation of the written instructions in reaching its verdict. Where the jury is required to rely upon the oral instructions given by the judge in his charge, if disagreement arises concerning the oral instructions, it is more likely that the jury would seek further instructions from the judge to resolve the question. When an issue is resolved by further instructions from the court, that procedure insures that misconceptions are not permitted to infect the deliberative process. On the other hand, when a jury is left to its own devices to interpret a written instruction, the possibility of a misconception is significantly enhanced. Moreover, the submission of written instructions would tend to encourage the jury to ignore the court's general instruction and focus upon the written instructions supplied to them. This undue emphasis on portions of the charge has the potential of undermining the integrity of the deliberative process. Oleynik, 568 A.2d at 1241. In Oleynik, the court sent out with the jury written instructions on the definitions of legal causation, third-degree murder, and involuntary manslaughter. That situation is obviously distinguishable from the present case, where the instructions did not contain an articulation of points of law, but merely explained to the jury how to fill out the verdict slip. In DeHart, the court gave to the jury a written instruction that itself misstated the law. That error is in a different class from the error alleged herein. In Karaffa, similar to Oleynik, the court provided the jury with written instructions on the definitions of unlawful restraint and reasonable doubt. These errors clearly and directly implicate the concerns we addressed in Oleynik; the written instructions in the case sub judice do not. Written directions to the jury detailing the procedure for filling out a verdict slip are not subject to interpretations that could potentially prejudice a defendant. For this reason, we refuse to find that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the written instructions.