Opinion ID: 1966978
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: Sequestration During Trial

Text: Nesbitt also alleges that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to argue on direct appeal that the district court erred in failing to sequester the jury during trial. Again, Nesbitt claims that he is unable to state his claim with greater specificity because of the absence of pertinent court records. We disagree. The records that Nesbitt presumably needs to state this claim are not court records under the district court's control, but, rather, are newspaper clippings and other media releases that would show how the media's influence was so pervasive and biased that the district court abused its discretion in not sequestering the jury to protect them from these allegedly improper materials. See, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 29-2022 (Reissue 1995); State v. Ryan, 233 Neb. 74, 444 N.W.2d 610 (1989) (holding decision to sequester jury subject to abuse of discretion standard). Consequently, Nesbitt has no viable claim that he was prevented by the district court from gaining access to the materials he needed to properly state his claim on this issue. Nesbitt has failed to plead facts demonstrating his counsel was ineffective, and this argument is without merit.