Court Opinion

ID: 9587443
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:22:06.563316+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:42:33.026492
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
Defendant contends that our decision on the enumeration alleging it was fatal error to inquire of the jury how they were divided numerically is controlled by Brasfield v. United States, 272 U. S. 448 (47 SC 135,71 LE 345). We do not agree. Although Brasfield holds that "[a]n inquiry, put by the trial judge to a jury unable to agree, asking the extent of its division numerically, is per se ground for reversal,” we find Brasfield "was not grounded in a specific constitutional provision . . . but was *325announced as a rule of procedure to be followed in federal courts.” Sharplin v. State, 330 S2d 591, 596 (Miss. 1976); accord, Marsh v. Cupp, 392 FSupp. 1060, 1063 (DC Ore. 1975), affd. 536 F2d 1287 (9th Cir. 1976), (U. S. cert. den.).
A thorough compendium on this issue is contained in 77 ALR3d 769. Jurisdictions following the rule that inquiry, by itself, is reversible error, include only federal courts, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The courts in Michigan and Delaware also have conflicting decisions on this point. 77 ALR3d 784. We adhere to our original decision. See Watkins v. State, 237 Ga. 678, 679 (229 SE2d 465).

Motion for rehearing denied.