Opinion ID: 2331454
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Second Cousin on the Jury Panel

Text: [¶ 24] In its questioning of the jury prior to jury selection, the court inquired if any juror knew or was related to Eugene Merchant. No one was selected for the jury who indicated that he or she knew or was related to Merchant. After trial, Merchant filed a motion to vacate the verdict and for a new trial, asserting that one of the jurors was his second cousin. [¶ 25] By statute, a relationship of consanguinity or affinity within the sixth degree (second cousins) disqualifies a person who is required to be disinterested or indifferent from participating in a matter in which others are interested. 1 M.R.S.A. § 71(6) (1989). We have held that the limitation in section 71(6) applies to jurors in criminal cases. See Bennett v. State, 161 Me. 489, 494-95, 214 A.2d 667, 671 (1965). [¶ 26] After Merchant filed his motion, the court held a hearing and questioned the juror. The juror testified that he was not aware of his relationship with Merchant at the time of jury selection or during the trial and that he only became aware of the relationship on Thanksgiving Day, following the trial, when his father told him that he and Merchant were related. Merchant testified that, on the day of jury selection, he had some idea that the challenged juror might be a relative and had discussed it with counsel but had elected not to raise an objection at that time. [¶ 27] In Bennett, we stated that, when a party knows of a potential objection to a juror, [t]he party cannot keep quiet and speculate upon the chances of a verdict in his favor. He should, at the first opportunity after the discovery is made, make an open disclosure of the fact for the benefit of all concerned. 161 Me. at 495, 214 A.2d at 671 (quoting Brown v. Reed, 81 Me. 158, 161, 16 A. 504, 505 (1889)). See also State v. Chattley, 390 A.2d 472, 477 (Me.1978) (when a party knows or with due diligence could ascertain facts relating to a juror's qualifications, but fails to inform the court of those facts within time to allow the court to correct any possible error, the party waives any right subsequently to raise that objection). Separately, 14 M.R.S.A. § 1303 (2003) specifies that: If a party knows any objection to a juror in season to propose it before trial and omits to do so, he shall not afterwards make it, unless by leave of court for special reasons. [¶ 28] Here, Merchant waived any potential objection to the juror by not raising his objection in a timely manner when he suspected that he might be related to the juror. Further, Merchant does not indicate any prejudice from this individual having sat on the jury. No error is indicated by the court's denial of Merchant's motion for a new trial on a point that he did not sufficiently preserve at jury selection and on which he can demonstrate no prejudice.