Court Opinion

ID: 9482456
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 08:51:14.839661+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:49:00.884419
License: Public Domain

FAGG, Circuit Judge,
dissenting.
I agree with the court that the district judge gave a flawed supplemental Allen charge. Nevertheless, I cannot agree that the charge coerced the jury into convicting Robinson. Because the court unnecessarily reverses the sheriff’s conviction for brutally beating Mosier, a young retarded man, I dissent.
We do not reverse a conviction because of an Allen charge unless the charge coerced the jury. United States v. Smith, 635 F.2d 716, 721 (8th Cir.1980). The court correctly recognizes we consider “the facts and circumstances of a particular case [to] determine whether [an Allen ] charge was coercive.” Ante at 436. We examine four factors in particular: (1) the content of the challenged Allen instruction; (2) the length of deliberation after the court gives the challenged Allen instruction; (3) the total length of deliberation; and (4) indications in the record of coercion or pressure on the jury. United States v. Thomas, 946 F.2d 73, 76 (8th Cir.1991); Smith, 635 F.2d at 721. The court bases its reversal on the first factor, the content of the instruction. Ante at 436. An examination of all four *439factors, however, reveals the Allen instruction did not coerce the jury.
First, I do not believe the language of the instruction alone is so coercive that reversal is required. Although the charge failed to recognize expressly that a majority of jurors might favor acquittal or that both the majority and minority should reexamine their views, the district judge reminded the jurors they must each decide the case for themselves. Even though the judge did not state the jury was free to deliberate as long as necessary, the judge did ask the foreperson whether the jurors wanted to go home and come back the next day to resume deliberations. Although the supplemental instruction did not instruct the jury the Government had the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, initial jury instruction number three included this statement. Initial instruction number twenty-six also informed the jurors they should not “surrender [their] honest conviction^] as to the weight or effect of the evidence solely because of the opinion of a fellow juror or for the mere purpose of reaching [a] verdict.” After giving the supplemental Allen charge, the district judge reminded the jury it must consider all of the instructions. The jury had copies of the initial instructions during its deliberations. This court considers the instructions as a whole. United States v. Arpan, 887 F.2d 873, 874-76 (8th Cir.1989) (en banc) (approving instruction nearly identical to initial instruction twenty-six); see also United States v. Wauneka, 842 F.2d 1083, 1088 (9th Cir.1988) (involving Allen charge). I conclude the original instructions and mitigating language in the supplemental charge moderate the supplemental charge’s flaws enough to allow the other three factors to prevail.
Second, the jury deliberated three hours after the court gave the instruction before reaching a verdict. We have held similar postinstruction deliberation periods demonstrated no coercive effect. E.g., Thomas, 946 F.2d at 76.
Third, the jury deliberated a total of eight hours following a three-day trial. We have held temporally similar situations were not “ ‘so disproportionate as to raise an inference that the Allen charge coerced the jury.’ ” E.g., id. (quoting Smith, 636 F.2d at 722).
Fourth, the record does not support the court’s conclusion that the jury was coerced. Indeed, the record indicates the opposite. Although the jury convicted Robinson on four counts, it acquitted him on one count. Contrary to the majority’s view, the jury’s performance strongly suggests the instruction had no coercive effect. See United States v. Wiebold, 507 F.2d 932, 934-35 (8th Cir.1974) (acquittal on one count showed verdict was not the “product of a jury rushed or coerced to a judgment of guilty”); United States v. Ringland, 497 F.2d 1250, 1253 (8th Cir.1974) (supplemental Allen charge not reversible error because conviction on five of eight counts reflected “discriminating attention by jury”); United States v. Pope, 415 F.2d 685, 691 (8th Cir.1969) (acquittal on four counts “significant” in determining whether Allen charge improperly influenced jury), cert. denied, 397 U.S. 950, 90 S.Ct. 973, 25 L.Ed.2d 132 (1970). In addition, there was strong evidence of Robinson’s guilt. Robinson beat Mosier, who did not resist and begged for mercy, three different times in the presence of different county employees, including Robinson’s chief deputy. During one of the beatings, Robinson wrapped his car antenna around Mo-sier’s neck, breaking the antenna. The employees had the courage to report the incidents and to testify against Robinson at trial. Despite the testimony of these three eyewitnesses, Robinson maintained the beatings never occurred. The only person who supported Robinson’s story was the deputy Robinson appointed to succeed the chief deputy who resigned after witnessing the beatings. Because there was strong evidence of Robinson’s guilt, the flawed charge likely had minimal effect on the jury-
Having reviewed the totality of the circumstances in light of the four factors, I conclude the supplemental charge did not coerce the jury. In my view, the court disserves justice in this case by setting aside the jury’s verdict. I also conclude *440Robertson’s remaining arguments are without merit. The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Robertson’s motion to reopen the evidence. See United States v. Larson, 596 F.2d 759, 778 (8th Cir.1979). Similarly, the district court committed no error in applying the multiple count provisions of the Sentencing Guidelines. See U.S.S.G. § 3D1.2(b)(1), (d) (Nov. 1989); United States v. Moore, 877 F.2d 651, 652 (8th Cir.1989).
Accordingly, I would affirm Robinson’s conviction.