Court Opinion

ID: 9717305
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:01:16.778956+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:52.416218
License: Public Domain

GIVAN, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion in this case which holds that a new trial should be granted because the jury was required to deliberate for over thirty hours without sleep. While I agree with the majority that the trial judge abused his discretion in not sending the jury to a hotel or motel within a reasonable time during the night, I do not think his failure to do so justifies a new trial.
As pointed out by Judge Sullivan in the opinion of the Court of Appeals, each time the jury was questioned the foreman indicated he felt they could reach a decision in just a short time. When the verdict eventually was returned, each of the jurors was polled and each stated that the verdict was their decision. Although the judge’s abuse of discretion undoubtedly was hard on the jury, there is no indication that the decision was unfair. The evidence of appellant’s guilt is overwhelming. I cannot justify the use of judicial time and the waste of taxpayer’s money in a retrial.
I would affirm the trial court.