Opinion ID: 78313
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Juror Exposure to Extraneous Information

Text: The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right to trial by an impartial jury. U.S. Const. amend. VI. To protect the right to an impartial jury, the Supreme Court has recognized that [d]ue process means a jury capable and willing to decide the case solely on the evidence before it, and a trial judge ever watchful to prevent prejudicial occurrences and to determine the effect of such occurrences when they happen. Smith v. Phillips, 455 U.S. 209, 217, 102 S.Ct. 940, 71 L.Ed.2d 78 (1982). The jury must determine guilt solely on the basis of the evidence presented at trial and the court's instructions as to the applicable law. Turner v. Louisiana, 379 U.S. 466, 472-73, 85 S.Ct. 546, 13 L.Ed.2d 424 (1965). We presume, however, that the jury has been impartial. United States v. Winkle, 587 F.2d 705, 714 (5th Cir.1979). [29] A defendant who alleges denial of this right resulting from juror exposure to extraneous information has the burden of making a colorable showing that the exposure has, in fact, occurred. Id. See also United States v. Ayarza-Garcia, 819 F.2d 1043, 1051 (11th Cir.1987). If the defendant does so, prejudice to the defendant is presumed and the burden shifts to the government to show that the jurors' consideration of extrinsic evidence was harmless to the defendant. Remmer v. United States, 347 U.S. 227, 74 S.Ct. 450, 98 L.Ed. 654 (1954); United States v. Ronda, 455 F.3d 1273, 1299 (11th Cir.2006). [30] If the district court concludes the exposure to the extrinsic evidence was harmless to the defendant, on appeal, we review this conclusion for an abuse of discretion. Id. at 1296 n. 33. In doing so, we look at all the circumstances and we consider: (1) the nature of the extrinsic evidence; (2) the manner in which it reached the jury; (3) the factual findings in the district court and the manner of the court's inquiry into the juror issues; and, (4) the strength of the government's case. Id. at 1299-1300. Defendants attached several exhibits to their motion regarding juror misconduct, including news articles after the trial and copies of affidavits by Juror 5 and his wife and his wife's pastor. This material, especially the affidavits of Juror 5, suggested that, during the trial, some of the jurors may have seen information about the trial on the internet. Finding that the defendants had made a colorable showing of extrinsic influence on the jury, the district court held a hearing to which all twelve jurors were summoned and told to bring with them any material related to outside information that they or any other juror considered during trial or deliberations. At the hearing, the court asked each juror a series of twelve questions designed to reveal the nature and extent of any extrinsic evidence to which the jurors were exposed. [31] Each juror testified under oath in response to the twelve questions and follow-up questions. Based upon this testimony, the district court found that there was credible evidence establishing that during deliberations some of the jurors were exposed to the following extrinsic evidence: (1) a copy of the Second Superseding Indictment obtained from the district court's own website; and (2) juror information from the website concerning the foreperson's obligation to preside over the jury's deliberations and to give every juror a fair opportunity to express his views.