Court Opinion

ID: 9754678
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 20:09:35.540622+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:27:56.335894
License: Public Domain

COMBS, J.,
with whom COLBERT, V.C.J., Joins, Concurring:
1 I fully concur in the majority opinion. I write separately to convey my opinion as to the seope of today's pronouncement. The facts in this case present a balancing test as to an individual's right to jury trial before an unbiased and impartial jury guaranteed by Okla. Const., art. II, $ 6, and the provisions of 12 0.S., § 2606(B), that limit the inquiry of a juror for post-verdict testimony, thereby preserving finality of judgments, and protecting jurors from inquiry by unhappy non-prevailing litigants. I must fall on the side of our fundamental right to a jury of our peers, unbiased, unprejudiced, and impartial.
T2 This opinion, however, must not be viewed as opening the floodgates to challenge, post trial, each and every jury verdict, by reason of disappointment in the results of a fairly-tried dispute, to an impartial and unbiased trier of fact.
13 The limitation on the authority of courts to inquire into the reasons underlying a jury verdict does not mean a juror should disregard the courts' instructions. We do not prohibit racial bias in jury selection only to encourage racial bias in jury deliberations. See, Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). Once seated a juror should not have autonomy as to racial bias. A juror who allows racial bias to influence or dictate an assessment of the case violates their oath as a juror. 12 O.S.1991, § 72, OUJI Instruction 1.3, OUJI Instruction 1.5:
Remember that under our justice system the race, religion, national origin, or social status of a party or his/her attorney must not be considered by you in the discharge of your sworn duty as a juror.
See also, Coddington v. State, 2006 OK CR 34, ¶¶ 10-17, 142 P.3d 437, 443-445, and Grant v. State, 2009 OK CR 11, ¶¶ 20-28, 205 P.3d 1, 14-15.
*583T4 The facts of this case, must be viewed very narrowly. The juror openly volunteered to a total stranger his predilection to deny the litigants a fair trial. The stranger happened to be a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association whose very oath as an attorney includes the support and defense of the Oklahoma Constitution. If we allow the open, intentional destruction of the justice system, by jurors whose agenda is to deny to others the basic principles of equality and justice by reason of personal bias or prejudice concerning a party, we erode the pillars of our constitution.