Opinion ID: 2499553
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: issue 5: allen -type jury instruction

Text: Next, Gilliland argues that the trial court committed reversible error when it gave a deadlocked jury instruction, or Allen -type charge, before deliberations began, indicating that [a]nother trial would be a burden on both sides. See Allen v. United States, 164 U.S. 492, 17 S.Ct. 154, 41 L.Ed. 528 (1896). Gilliland admits he did not object to the instruction and that the clearly erroneous standard of review applies as a result. See K.S.A. 22-3414(3). Nevertheless, he argues the trial court clearly erred in giving the instruction in light of our disapproval of this language in State v. Salts, 288 Kan. 263, 265-66, 200 P.3d 464 (2009), which was decided 1 month after the trial in this case. Subsequent to Salts, this court has consistently confirmed its holding, which means that the instruction in this case was erroneous. Yet, in numerous cases applying this holding, we have concluded giving the instruction with the challenged language was not clear error. See, e.g., State v. Burnett, 293 Kan. 840, 855, 270 P.3d 1115 (2012); State v. Washington, 293 Kan. 732, 740-42, 268 P.3d 475 (2012) (listing cases). Instructions are clearly erroneous only if the reviewing court is firmly convinced there is a real possibility the jury would have rendered a different verdict if the trial error had not occurred. Salts, 288 Kan. at 265-66, 200 P.3d 464. In attempting to distinguish the long list of post- Salts cases, Gilliland argues the jury in his case could have been misled because the evidence against him was not overwhelming. Specifically, he points to testimony about his seizure disorder and the increased frequency of those seizures during alcohol use and testimony by Charlotte indicating that Gilliland appeared to be out when she walked in on the incident in the living room. This argument does not address how the misleading nature of the instruction might have made a difference in the jury's deliberations; nothing in the record demonstrates the jury was near deadlock, deadlocked, pressured to reach a verdict, or concerned about the implications of another trial. Moreover, as we discussed in determining the harmlessness of the error to exclude evidence of C.E.'s prior sexual behavior, there was substantial evidence of guilt presented to the jury. Under these circumstances, we conclude there is no real possibility that the jury would have rendered a different verdict if the offending wording had been omitted from the jury instructions.