Opinion ID: 2065070
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Defendant's First Mistrial Motion

Text: The foreperson reported the jury's verdict in the early afternoon of the second day of deliberations. After some discussion concerning the possible repugnancy of the verdict, the court decided to accept it and, on request of defense counsel, directed that the jurors be polled. At approximately 1:35 P.M., during the polling, the following occurred with respect to juror No. 4: THE CLERK: Is that your verdict, Juror 4? (Pause.) Is that your verdict, Juror 4? THE DEFENDANT: Please don't send me away. I didn't do this, man, this is  this is a mistake. THE COURT: I do not want to hear you make any statement. Do you understand that? Instruct your client that he's not to make any statements in this courtroom at this time. MR. LESTER: Your Honor, I did. THE CLERK: Juror 4, would you please respond to the question of whether the verdict as announced by the foreperson and as announced and as recorded is the same verdict as your own personal verdict in this case. (Pause.) MR. LESTER: Judge, may we approach? THE COURT: No. I would like a response from Juror Number 4. JUROR NO. 4: No. THE COURT: No? At this time I'm going to direct the jury go back into the jury room and continue your deliberations. MR. LESTER: Judge, before you send them back, may I make a motion not in the presence of the jury? THE COURT: The jury will first step out at this time as instructed. (Jury excused.) THE COURT: I'll hear you now. MR. LESTER: Judge, the pressure on this juror is so obvious. I would request this Court at this time to declare this a mistrial. The pressure on her is going to be incredible on her back in the jury room. It's obvious in all good conscience she cannot go along with this verdict, and to put that kind of pressure on her is unfair, and it will end up ultimately being unfair to my client .  I would request the Court to declare this a mistrial . THE COURT: Motion denied (emphasis added). After the court's denial of the motion, defense counsel noted on the record that juror No. 4 had taken at a minimum, 20 seconds  closer to more like a minute  before she did say, in a low voice, `no' and that she was crying during the time when she gave her negative response.