Court Opinion

ID: 9667764
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 01:54:41.31137+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:40.680486
License: Public Domain

CRANDALL, Judge,
dissenting.
I dissent in part and concur in part. I echo the displeasure expressed by my fellow judges over the conduct of the miscreant jurors, Aldrich and Robinson. The issue, however, is not whether these two men are contemptible, but whether the State met its burden of proving that the jurors were not subject to improper influences.
I agree that the State of Missouri had no subject matter jurisdiction over the capital murder of Donna Decker, who was shot and killed in the State of Illinois. The sentence that was imposed for that crime is therefore void.
I disagree with the remand on the issue of juror misconduct. Juror Aldrich saw two television newscasts regarding the trial, probably on Channel 5. Juror Robinson only saw the first newscast. The first newscast was a few seconds in length and the terms “re-trial” and possibly “mistrial” were used. The second newscast was viewed by Juror Aldrich after defendant had been found guilty of two counts of capital murder, but before the completion of the penalty stage. The two jurors also watched other television shows and listened to the radio. They did not hear that the case had been reversed or that the re-trial had been caused by the reversal. They did not hear the defendant had been sentenced to death at the prior trial or that Raphael Clark was a co-defendant. They both testified that they were not influenced by the television reports.
If misconduct is established, the State must affirmatively show that the jurors were not subject to improper influences. The trial judge held a hearing on that issue and found, in his discretion, that the State had met its burden.
Watching television or listening to the radio is not a violation of MAI-CR2d 1.08. The instruction admonishes the jurors not to “view or listen to any newspaper, radio, *280or television report of the trial.” (emphasis added) If Aldrich or Robinson had watched television and listened to the radio but had not seen anything about the trial, they would have violated the procedure established to ensure compliance with the instruction rather than the instruction itself. There would have been no juror misconduct as it related to the issue of whether or not defendant got a fair trial. There must be evidence of misconduct before the State is required to prove the absence of improper influences.
The viewing of the two newscasts is the only evidence of misconduct. The State clearly met its burden on the second newscast by proof of the verdict. That newscast was viewed by Juror Aldrich after the jury had found defendant guilty of two counts of capital murder, but before the completion of the penalty phase of the trial. At that point there was only two possible sentences, death or life with a minimum of 50 years without possibility of parole. The jury returned a verdict for the lesser sentence. There was, therefore, no prejudice as a matter of law.
Finally we consider the first television broadcast. There the issue of improper influence was a question of fact for the trial judge. If there is substantial evidence in the record to support his ruling, we, as an appellate court, should affirm.
Both jurors testified that they were not influenced by the broadcast. While that testimony is “hardly sufficient” proof of no prejudice, State v. Malone, 333 Mo. 594, 62 S.W.2d 909 at 915, it is probative on the issue. Next we consider the sentences imposed. Despite the extreme depravity of the crimes for which defendant was convicted, the jury did not recommend the death sentence. That fact, while not decisive, is also probative on the issue.
Finally we consider the broadcast itself. I disagree with the majority that the State and the defendant should be offered an opportunity to present the “identified video tape.” They had an opportunity to present the tape at the hearing on the post-trial motion. If they had wanted the tape there, it would have been there. If defendant wanted a ruling on his request for the tape, he should have insisted on one. Further, it is not certain that the broadcast was made by Channel 5 or if the video tape of the broadcast still exists.
The testimony of the jurors regarding what they saw and heard was sufficient proof of the content of the broadcast. Certainly the tape would be probative, however, its production is not mandatory in order to adjudicate the issue.
The testimony before the trial court was that the broadcast was a few seconds long; showed the defendant in custody; and the words “re-trial” and “mistrial” were used. The fact that the defendant was in custody would hardly have surprised the jurors. “Re-trial” and “mistrial” do not have, nor do the words logically infer, any prejudicial connotation. The words as used in the context of the broadcast were innocuous. The content of the broadcast, combined with the other factors previously mentioned, justify a finding that the jurors were not subject to improper influences.
For the foregoing reasons, I dissent.