Court Opinion

ID: 9693754
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 16:58:49.398822+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:49.917060
License: Public Domain

CAPPY, Justice,
concurring.
While I join the majority opinion, I write separately to address one matter of concern. Admittedly, it was within the discretion of the trial court whether to poll the jurors concerning the potentially prejudicial newspaper article published during the trial. However, the better practice would have been for the trial court to poll the jury in an innocuous manner directly after the newspaper article was brought to its attention. This would have resolved the question of potential prejudice immediately. Thus, it would have prevented the need for further attention by the trial court and counsel, as well as the need for this Court to dwell upon the question of whether the contents of the newspaper article were consistent with Crispell’s testimony at trial.