Court Opinion

ID: 9560529
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:50:29.424467+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:12:57.150918
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
dissenting. Defendant was on trial in the Superior Court of Fulton County for possession of illegal drugs. When court recessed for the day, while still in the courthouse building, but outside the courtroom, two officers seized and arrested defendant, in the presence of one of the jurors and there stated to him, in substance: "You are un*787der arrest for possessing marijuana or hashish.” The arresting officers then locked defendant in the jail and kept him there all night.
Defendant’s counsel immediately went to the judge to complain of this improper conduct, but was told by the judge to wait until the next morning when State’s counsel could be present. On the following morning, outside the hearing of the jury, and in presence of State’s counsel, counsel made a statement to the court, in his place, as counsel for defendant, as to what had transpired and moved for a mistrial. The court accepted the statement as true, but overruled the motion for mistrial, and took no corrective action whatever towards the two arresting officers. They were not brought before the court to explain their conduct, and they were not reprimanded. The court simply stated, outside the hearing of the jury: "I do not really think the man should have been arrested in the presence of the juror.”
The court further stated that he had previously instructed the jury not to read, look at, or listen to anything concerning the case outside the courtroom; and that he would instruct the jury in his charge that their judgment should be based solely on what occurred in the courtroom; and if any of them heard any conversation by the defendant or anyone else outside the courtroom, that should under no circumstances influence them under all the evidence in the case.
There was no denial of the occurrence as stated to the court by defendant’s counsel, and no countershowing of any nature. There was no objection to defendant’s counsel not being under oath. The trial court received the statement and accepted it as true.
Defendant’s counsel urged as grounds for mistrial that his client’s right of a fair and reasonable trial was prejudiced; that counsel did not feel the enormous burden thus placed on defendant could be overcome; that he felt he would have to defend against a crime not charged in the indictment; that he felt that any presumption in the juror’s *788mind as to innocence had been erased by the seizure and arrest of defendant in the presence of the juror; that although his client was out on bond, last night he was put in jail where he was required to remain overnight.
The timing of the arrest deserves special comment and attention. Was this arrest of defendant in the presence of the juror deliberately staged? A woman had called the office of the District Attorney on the day before the trial, and claimed she had information which would connect defendant with possession of marijuana. This was a separate and distinct occasion from that for which he was placed on trial on the following day. She said she talked with Mr. Weller in the District Attorney’s office about the matter. Mr. Weller was the Assistant District Attorney who represented the State in the prosecution which began the following day (the case sub judice).
The questions naturally arise as to why defendant was not arrested on the same day, before his trial began? Or why was he not arrested on the following morning, before his trial began? Why was it necessary to arrest him after the trial had begun in the presence of a juror, and why was it necessary to restrain him all night long in jail? Why did not the arresting officers wait until his trial ended before making the arrest?
Still other questions arise. Why did the trial court fail to punish these officers for interference with an essential party to a case after trial had begun? Why did he not in the strongest possible way, let the jury know that the court did not sanction such conduct? Suppose they had arrested a juror, or the assistant district attorney, and kept him in jail all night, would the trial judge have closed his eyes to the offense without punishing the offenders? Once the trial got underway, every party thereto, including parties, jurors and attorneys, were each and all entitled to the full protection of the court, to the end that the trial would not be improperly interrupted. The defendant was as much an essential part of the trial as were the jurors, or the district attorney, or the trial judge. What would happen to orderly process *789and orderly trials if the trial court allows jurors, or the district attorney, or the defendant, to be arrested on a new charge, in the presence of the jury, and imprisoned all night long in the middle of a trial?
And although the trial court was vested with full and complete power to protect the trial and all parties thereto (Code §24-104 (1) (4)), by punishing for contempt those who interfered therewith, here the trial court did absolutely nothing to the two arresting officers for their gross misconduct.
And let it be noted that defendant was not charged with committing a capital felony, which might have induced him to flee the country; he was simply charged with another case of possessing marijuana.
In Wood v. Georgia, 370 U. S. 375 (82 SC 1364, 8 LE2d 569) it was held that the court had a right to conduct its business in an untrammeled way; and power to punish for contempt any conduct that tends to interfere with the discharge of these functions. In Richardson v. State, 43 Ga. App. 229 (158 SE 369), this court held that the wilful attempt to improperly influence a person drawn as a juror is contempt of court.
Were the two arresting officers trying to improperly influence the juror by their conduct? The trial judge made no investigation, although the circumstances on their face gave rise to strong suspicion that such may have been their motive.
The State’s brief is of very little help on this question. It is argued that the defendant did not renew his motion for mistrial, but of course, under the circumstances there was no opportunity and no duty to renew such motion. The court simply announced his reasons for his ruling and then, overruled the motion. Defendant’s counsel was thus deprived of any opportunity to renew his motion. A trial court assuredly would not take kindly to a renewal of a motion for mistrial immediately following the overruling of the first motion; and doubtless would have sharply reprimanded counsel had he made a renewal of a motion for mistrial *790immediately following the overruling of his first motion for mistrial. The case of Lane v. State, 118 Ga. App. 688 (3) (165 SE2d 474) cited by the majority is not in point here.
The only other argument advanced on the point is that the defendant did not object to the jury dispersing, and therefore, took his chances on the jury seeing or hearing improper acts. It is illogical to suggest that defendant was required to expect that he might be arrested in the presence of a juror, and that his consenting to dispersal waived his right to object to such misconduct.
In Cox v. State, 165 Ga. 145 (139 SE 861) the Supreme Court holds it reversible error to introduce evidence of a separate crime; and in Bacon v. State, 209 Ga. 261, 262 (71 SE2d 615), Justice Hawkins very ably discussed this question, holding it reversible error to introduce proof of defendant’s guilt of three other charges of burglary, while he was on trial for a separate charge of burglary.
Only one juror saw and heard these things, but one is enough. In Downer v. State, 10 Ga. App. 827 (3) (74 SE 301) one juror only heard a third person denounce a witness for the State as having falsified, and it was held: ". . . this denunciation had presumptively an effect on the mind of the juror, detrimental to the accused; and this presumption was not fully rebutted by the affidavit of the juror that it did not influence his finding . . . Another trial should have been granted.”
In Styles v. State, 129 Ga. 425, 429 (59 SE 249, 12 AC 176) the Supreme Court holds: "Perfect impartiality in the juror is the object of the law. Anything not legitimately arising out of the trial of the case, which tends to destroy the impartiality of the juror, should be discountenanced. . . . Verdicts should be the result of calm deliberation, founded upon the law and evidence. The accomplishment of that object can never be assured where irrelevant things which tend to destroy the impartiality of the jurors are allowed to creep into the trial.”
In Woolfolk v. State, 81 Ga. 551, 558 (8 SE 724) the audience in the courtroom applauded the argument of State’s *791counsel, and some were heard to say "Hang him.” The judge ordered one person so offending carried out of the courthouse. All the jurors made affidavits these things had no influence upon their minds. The court states (p. 560): ”We think the judge should have stopped the argument of the State’s counsel then and there and ascertained the guilty parties, and should have punished them to the extent of the law. He should have taught them that the law was supreme; that the trial of a man for his life, however heinous the crime charged against him might be, was >a serious and solemn thing, and that the law would not permit a mob to interfere, either by applause or by threatening and exciting cries.” (Emphasis supplied.) Needless to say, a new trial was ordered.
The majority opinion seeks to show the point was not properly presented in the trial court. It asserts that defendant’s counsel stated in his place but was not sworn as a witness. To "state in his place” is completely adequate. See Caldwell v. McWilliams, 65 Ga. 99 (3), which holds that to "state in his place” is sufficient, but also states (p. 101), "In this case they were received without objection and it would be too late now to raise it [objections].” Absolutely no objection of any kind was made in the trial court to the statement of defendant’s counsel in the case sub judice. On the point of "stating in his place” by counsel for a party, this is also held to be sufficient in the case of Whitehead v. State, 96 Ga. App. 382 (1) (100 SE2d 139). This case is quite similar to the case at bar because it also involved a recess of court, and occurrences at night. Certain shots were fired in the direction of defendant’s house, and these circumstances were stated to the court by defendant’s counsel on the following day. Also see Mims v. Hardware Mut. Cas. Co., 82 Ga. App. 210, 213 (60 SE2d 501).
For cases which hold that where a statement is received as evidence, without the formality of an oath, unless objection is then and there made, this constitutes a waiver of the oath, see the following cases, to wit: Smith v. State, 81 Ga. 479 (2) (8 SE 187); Rhodes v. State, 122 Ga. 568 (1) (50 SE *792361); Southern R. Co. v. Ellis, 123 Ga. 614 (2) (51 SE 594); Morgan v. State, 28 Ga. App. 358 (2) (111 SE 72); State Bar v. Ellis, 116 Ga. App. 721, 728 (158 SE2d 280); Niagara Fire Ins. Co. v. Williams, 1 Ga. App. 603, 604 (57 SE 1018); Reagan v. Bethlehem Lodge, 47 Ga. App. 430, 431 (170 SE 536); Neidlinger v. Mobley, 76 Ga. App. 599 (1) (46 SE2d 747).
The majority opinion cites Kellar v. State, 226 Ga. 432 (2) (175 SE2d 654), as a "similar case” where the unsworn statement of defendant’s counsel was insufficient to warrant a mistrial. Please consider that case for a moment. There, counsel for defendant moved for a mistrial because defendant was brought into court while manacled. But the court said, "I didn’t see him handcuffed”—thus rejecting the statement of counsel as being untrue; whereas in the case sub judice the court accepted counsel’s statement as true, and said, "I do not think really that the man should have been arrested in the presence of a juror.” The judge was the trior of fact, and his decision was binding. The case cited by the majority is not applicable.
The majority opinion asserts that: "Since counsel chose to rely on his unsworn statement rather than avail himself of some form of evidence, the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in denying the motion for mistrial.” Surely the majority is fully cognizant that the trial judge in the case sub judice did not exercise his discretion by disbelieving the occurrence took place. To the contrary, he fully believed it occurred, but made it crystal clear that his discretion was being exercised on the basis that he could cure the harm thus done by charging the jury to disregard it and not be thereby influenced. The majority’s statement above is therefore inappropriate.
The majority opinion contends defendant’s counsel had the burden of proving the probability that the juror saw, heard and understood what was occurring. The occurrence was shown to have taken place in the juror’s presence. What more is needed? The law presumes this juror to be "of ordinary intelligence and laboring under no physical *793defect or disability which rendered her incapable of appreciating the situation.” Southern R. Co. v. Cabe, 109 Ga. App. 432, 439 (136 SE2d 438). The State had every opportunity to prove—if it could have done so—that the witness did not see or hear the occurrence, yet it took no action in this respect. The record shows that actually no controversy existed in this regard, in that State’s counsel simply stated: "Your Honor, I don’t know that the juror actually heard or saw what went on at the time of the arrest ... my understanding is that . . . may have been one [juror] behind in the restroom, but there is a grave question as to whether or not he even saw what was going on or knew what was going on or heard it.” [Tr. 116-117] (Emphasis supplied.) This misses the mark by far as to creating an issue on this point. It is completely irrelevant as to whether State’s- counsel, knew or did not know of the occurrence; and it is likewise unimportant as to what his understanding was, as he significantly did not give the facts upon which his understanding was based. Suffice it to show that these facts were related by defendant’s counsel to the court (and the court accepted them as true), to wit: "Mr. Clyatt was detained by two officers in the presence of one of the the jurors . . . and stated that he was under arrest for marijuana or hashish ... I feel as a result of the arrest of Mr. Clyatt in the presence of a juror that it will prejudice Mr. Clyatt’s right to any fair and reasonable trial.” (Emphasis supplied.) I repeat that the trial court accepted this statement as true. Defendant was not required to introduce the testimony of the juror to show whether the improper conduct committed in her presence caused bias or prejudice to rest upon her mind against the defendant. The law presumes that the juror is prejudiced by improper conduct in his presence; and the juror’s affidavit will not overcome this presumption of prejudice. See Downer v. State, 10 Ga. App. 827 (3) (74 SE 301).
Finally, the majority opinion urges that "moreover, whatever harm may have resulted was remedied by the judge’s appropriate instructions.” Not so! This was damage that *794could not be eradicated by a charge of the court, no matter how strong! But the language charged made no specific reference whatever to the transaction which the lady juror had observed, and was as follows: "Now, Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I want to instruct you that you must decide this case or these four cases against this defendant upon the evidence produced before you here in the courtroom. You must not be influenced by anything heard or seen concerning this case, if such was heard or seen by you, nor anything heard or seen with respect to this defendant that may have occurred outside the courtroom. If anything concerning the case or concerning this defendant came to your attention outside the courtroom, in other words, Ladies and Gentlemen, the evidence that must be considered in the case is what is produced right here on the witness stand and as exhibited before you and not anything else that you may have heard or seen at any other place concerning this case or concerning this defendant; if you heard or had seen such it will not be considered by you in this matter.”
Actually, the charge given, instead of correcting the damage, was quite harmful to the defendant. It made no mention of his being arrested, and did not instruct the jury not to consider the conduct of the arresting officers, but stated: "You must not be influenced by . . . anything heard or seen with respect to this defendant that may have occurred outside the courtroom.” The trial judge should have spelled it out, instead of leaving the jury to wonder what misconduct the defendant might have committed outside the courtroom during the trial.
But, to repeat, a charge of the court, no matter how-specific, could not have cured the damage that had been done the defendant, when he was arrested on a separate charge of illegal possession of drugs in the presence of a juror, as to which the wrongdoers received no condemnation—not even "a slap on the wrist”—to indicate the court’s disapproval of such high-handed and improper conduct.
The majority approvingly quotes from the statement by State’s counsel during the trial, to the effect that defend*795ant’s counsel had elicited evidence during the trial as to defendant’s connection with drugs and that the juror would reasonably assume an arrest for marijuana possession after evidence thereof had been elicited during the trial by defendant’s counsel. This is a non sequitur and is not in consonance with the record. The testimony referred to did not at any time mention marijuana or any other illegal drug. The witness testified as to seeing defendant with a brown bag, which she later recovered and that it had some kind of drug in it, but she did not know what kind of drug. The bag was brought to court but no witness ever testified that it was marijuana or an illegal drug. It will not be presumed that it was an illegal drug. The harm done defendant was in arresting him on a new charge of violation of the law by possessing drugs, and so stating, in the presence of the juror; thus letting the juror know that the State regarded it as an illegal drug, and that defendant’s connection with it was such as to authorize his being arrested therefor. Neither defendant nor his counsel could have anticipated this reprehensible and unwarranted conduct in the presence of the juror.
Therefore, I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion, and vote to reverse the trial court for the reasons above set forth.