Opinion ID: 566790
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Denial of Motion to Depose Juror

Text: 44 In the course of post-trial proceedings, the trial court denied Tejada's motion to depose juror Rhonda Pew who was quoted in a newspaper article as stating that, A couple of us thought we would save his neck. Then it started to look hopeless. Defense counsel argued, in the context of suggesting juror misconduct requiring Pew's deposition, that this quote implied that jurors discussed the case before jury deliberations were properly to begin because Pew did not participate in deliberations. 14 On this speculative basis, 15 Tejada contends that the trial court erred in denying the defense's motion to depose Pew. The State responds that the magistrate correctly determined that the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in denying the motion because Pew did not deliberate. The State also argues that this is an issue of state law which provides no basis for federal habeas relief. 45 Construing Tejada's pro se petition liberally, we read Tejada's claim as one of juror misconduct. While this claim implicates federal constitutional concern for an impartial jury, we have stated in more factually compelling circumstances that the trial court has discretion to determine whether evidence of premature deliberation warrants an evidentiary hearing. See United States v. Cuthel, 903 F.2d 1381, 1382 (11th Cir.1990) (affirming federal district court's denial of post-trial investigation of preliminary deliberation where defendant received note from juror stating we were pressured into making our decision); see also United States v. Edwards, 696 F.2d 1277, 1282 (11th Cir.1983). To justify a post-trial hearing involving the trial's jurors, the defendant must do more than speculate; he must show 'clear, strong, substantial and incontrovertible evidence ... that a specific, non-speculative impropriety has occurred.'  Cuthel, 903 F.2d at 1382 (quoting United States v. Ianniello, 866 F.2d 540, 543 (2d Cir.1989) (internal quotation marks omitted)). Unless extraneous information has been brought to jurors' attention or outside influences have been brought to bear upon them, federal courts refuse to question jurors after the verdict is rendered--especially when the inquiry concerns juror misconduct before deliberations. Id.; see also United States v. Griek, 920 F.2d 840, 843 (11th Cir.1991); Fed.R.Evid. 606(b). 46 Taking this federal practice as the limit of what is required by federal constitutional concerns for an impartial jury, we conclude that Tejada has stated no claim for habeas relief. He has failed to demonstrate specifically and without speculation that jury impropriety has occurred; more important, he has failed to demonstrate, or even to allege, the presence of extraneous information or outside influence.