Opinion ID: 1498211
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: The court's statements to the jury, both during the trial and in the course of the instructions, were highly prejudicial.

Text: One of the statements objected to by the appellants was the opinion expressed by the court below that the Government perhaps might have brought in a conspiracy count against these people so if they were convicted the court could send them to the penitentiary. In presenting this objection to this Court, however, the appellants failed to point out that the court made the observation without the hearing of the jury. We will not burden an already over-long opinion with setting forth in extenso the remarks of the judge below that it is contended were prejudicial to the appellants. Suffice it to say that they were made in connection with rulings on the evidence, and were part of the familiar give-and-take of a criminal trial. It is elementary that a Federal judge has the right to comment on the evidence, and that it is not only his right but his duty to admonish counsel when necessary, provided he does so in temperate language. At no time did the court below prejudicially overstep the proprieties in the instant case. Appropriate in this connection are the observations of Mr. Justice Harlan in Rucker v. Wheeler, 127 U.S. 85, 93, 8 S.Ct. 1142, 1146, 32 L.Ed. 102: It is insisted by the plaintiff that the court went too far in its expressions of opinion upon the evidence bearing upon this issue, and that what was said had practically the effect of taking the case from the jury. It is no longer an open question that a judge of a court of the United States, in submitting a case to the jury, may, in his discretion, express his opinion upon the facts; and that `when no rule of law is incorrectly stated, and all matters of fact are ultimately submitted to the determination of the jury,' such expressions of opinion are not reviewable on writ of error. [Cases cited] Similarly apposite is the language used in Goldstein v. United States, 8 Cir., 63 F.2d 609, 613: It is not always possible during the trial of a hotly contested case for a judge, however impartial he may be, to maintain in the courtroom that atmosphere of complete judicial calm which is so much to be desired. We must not overlook the fact that the human element cannot be entirely eliminated from the trial of lawsuits. While counsel owe to the court, because of the position which he occupies, the utmost deference and respect, and while the court owes to them an equal obligation of courtesy and patience and consideration, nevertheless sharp differences of opinion do arise in the heat of trial and things are said which were better left unsaid. Such incidents are often regarded as trivial during the trial of a case and are quickly lost sight of, but, when set forth in the record and emphasized by counsel on appeal, they take on an importance which they never actually possessed. It is impossible to gather from the cold record, particularly when it is in narrative form, the atmosphere of the trial itself, the manner in which the words were spoken, or the probable effect, if any, which they had upon the merits of the controversy. Critical remarks of the court frequently cut both ways, if they cut at all. Colloquies between counsel and colloquies between the court and counsel as to the rules of evidence are not ordinarily regarded by a jury as serious matters or of much concern to them. An appellate court should be slow to reverse a case for the alleged misconduct of the trial court, unless it appears that the conduct complained of was intended or calculated to disparage the defendant in the eyes of the jury and to prevent the jury from exercising an impartial judgment upon the merits. See also Ford v. United States, 9 Cir., 10 F.2d 339, 347, affirmed, 273 U.S. 593, 47 S.Ct. 531, 71 L.Ed. 793; United States v. Bob, 2 Cir., 106 F.2d 37, 40, 41, certiorari denied, 308 U.S. 589, 60 S.Ct. 115, 84 L.Ed. 493; United States v. Warren, 2 Cir., 120 F.2d 211, 212; United States v. Goldstein, 2 Cir., 120 F.2d 485, 491.