Opinion ID: 735329
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Qualified Verdict.

Text: 23 Vichare argues that the jury's statement rendered the verdict an impermissible qualified verdict. He relies primarily on Rogers v. United States, 422 U.S. 35, 40-41, 95 S.Ct. 2091, 2095-96, 45 L.Ed.2d 1 (1975). The jury in Rogers sent the judge a note during its deliberations asking if the court would accept a verdict, Guilty as charged with extreme mercy of the Court. Rogers, 422 U.S. at 36, 95 S.Ct. at 2093. The court responded affirmatively without notifying the parties of the question or soliciting their input. Id. The defendant successfully challenged his conviction on that ground, under Fed.R.Crim.P. 43, which guarantees the defendant in a criminal case the right to be present in every stage of the proceeding. Id. at 39, 95 S.Ct. at 2094-95. The Court was unwilling to find the error harmless, particularly since the district judge had not informed the jury that its recommendation would not be binding in any way, or that the jury did not serve any sentencing function. Id. at 40, 95 S.Ct. at 2095. The Court looked to, inter alia, decisions of this Court that had reached similar holdings. Rogers, 422 U.S. at 39, 95 S.Ct. at 2094-95 (citing United States v. Schor, 418 F.2d 26, 29 (2d Cir.1969)); id. (citing United States v. Glick, 463 F.2d 491, 494-95 (2d Cir.1972)); id. at 40, 95 S.Ct. at 2095 (citing United States v. Louie Gim Hall, 245 F.2d 338 (2d Cir.1957)). 24 The concerns addressed in the above-cited cases are not present in the instant case. For one thing, this is a civil case where the plaintiff does not have the same rights as a defendant in a criminal case. Moreover, as we have seen, Vichare and his counsel were present when the jury made its request. In any event, the jury's choice of the word statement to describe its pronouncement displays its understanding that the pronouncement would have no legally binding effect on anyone: in common parlance, a statement (unlike a verdict) is not binding. Moreover, the communications from the jury to the court show a clear understanding that any statement would be distinct from their decision or verdict. For example, they said, May we preface our decision with a statement from the jury? and The jury requests that our statement be read prior to our verdict. We have reached a verdict. Finally, and most importantly, the content of the statement does not manifest any intent to be taken as having any legally binding effect. Therefore, the jury did not deliver a qualified verdict. 25