Court Opinion

ID: 9744306
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 22:00:03.638596+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:48.438304
License: Public Domain

SHARPNACK, Chief Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting.
I concur with the majority opinion on all points except the one on which it reverses. As to that, I respectfully dissent because I believe the presumption of harm has been rebutted. Moreover, I do not agree with the majority that we cannot review the effect of the communication with the jury because we may not consider the comments of the jurors as reflected in the Wall Street Journal article. I agree that we may not consider the comments; however, we need not consider them in determining whether the presumption of harm has been rebutted.
As we all agree, ex parte communications between judge and jury are error and are presumed prejudicial. Smith v. Convenience Store Distrib. Co., 583 N.E.2d 735, 737-738 (Ind.1992). The impetus behind the rule prohibiting ex parte communications stems from the danger that the judge, albeit unintentionally, may exert extraneous influence over the jury by his or her communication. Bouye v. State, 699 N.E.2d 620, 628 (Ind.1998). Thus, the rule is designed to prevent the jury from being improperly influenced by the judge. Id.
At one time, any ex parte communication, other than “formal” ones between judge and jury, was reversible error. Danes v. Pearson, 6 Ind.App. 465, 471, 33 N.E. 976, 978 (Ind.Ct.App.1893). The rule now, however, is that although ex parte communication is error and prejudice is presumed; the presumption is rebuttable. Smith, 583 N.E.2d at 738. “In deciding whether the presumption of harm has been rebutted, we evaluate the nature "of the communication to the jury and the effect it might have had upon a fair determination.” Id.
Thus, the presumption of prejudice that arises when an ex parte communication between the judge and the jury occurs can be dispelled if, after considering the nature of the communication and the effect it might have had upon a fair determination, we are satisfied that no harm resulted. See id. Our consideration need not include evidence of the actual effect on the deliberation. It is our assessment that is dispositive. “If ... we áre satisfied that no harm resulted, then the judgment will be allowed to stand.” Id. I am so satisfied.
The instant case is readily distinguishable from Smith, the case relied upon by the majority. Here, the communication was indirect and did not involve the presence of the judge in the jury room as in Smith. Compare id. with Danes, 6 Ind. App. at 471, 33 N.E. at 978 (finding reversible error where the trial judge entered the jury room to communicate with the jury about dinner plans). The communication of the judge to the jury consisted of the single word “yes” in answer to the question of whether the jury could hold a press conference after reaching a verdict, a question that had nothing to do with any of the issues raised at trial. Such communication cannot be said to have induced the jurors “to prove themselves capable of resolving the controversy” as in Smith. Smith, 583 N.E.2d at 738. Additionally, the communication did not involve any factual or legal issue in the case, and unlike Smith, did not convey misinformation.
Finally, and most importantly, the jury-deliberated for seven more hours after re*62ceiving approval' from the judge to have a press conference. This supports a conclusion that the verdict was not affected , by the communication. See id. (noting that the passage of a mere.ten minutes between the communication by , the judge and the return of the jury verdict indicated that the judge’s comments may have had an influence on the verdict); see also Nesvig v. Town of Porter, 668 N.E.2d 1276, 1288 (Ind.Ct.App.1996) (holding that bailiffs misconduct in answering a question posed by the jury did not create a sudden turn of events so as to suggest that the improper communication had an influence on the verdict where thirty minutes after the improper communication the jury posed another question to the trial court and then another thirty minutes passed before the verdict was returned).
In sum, I am satisfied that no harm resulted and that the presumption of prejudice has been rebutted because the communication was indirect, did not convey misinformation, was issue neutral, and was followed by seven hours of deliberation. There is nothing to suggest that the judge, improperly or otherwise, influenced the jury by the communication. Under these circumstances, we are not justified in going against the jury’s verdict, which is otherwise entitled to the presumption that it was the result of deliberations based upon the evidence before the jury and the instructions of the court. See, e.g., Emerson v. Markle, 539 N.E.2d 35, 39 (Ind.Ct.App.1989), trans. denied.
I would affirm.