Court Opinion

ID: 9734381
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 17:33:19.997111+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:48.038405
License: Public Domain

VAN der VOORT, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent from the' majority’s holding that the defense trial attorney rendered constitutionally ineffective assistance of counsel for failing to object to the language used by the Court clerk in polling the jury. The clerk in taking the poll addressed the panel of jurors as follows:
“When I call your name would you please stand and respond yes.”
He then addressed each individual juror by name as follows: “_you said you find the defendant guilty?”
The majority’s opinion holds that the jurors could reasonably have felt that they were being coerced into convicting *81the appellant when, after responding in unison that they had found him guilty, they were told by the clerk to respond “yes” in an individual poll of their verdict. This theory defies common sense.
The first two jurors responded to the clerk’s direct interrogation, (which itself was clear and without question free of any coercive meaning) saying “I do”. They did not say “yes”. This alone shows that the jurors were not coerced or intimidated by the language used by the clerk.
Read in context with the instructions given by the trial judge prior to sending the jury out to deliberate, this manner of interrogation by the clerk becomes trivial. The court instructed the jury as follows,
“Now, your verdict, this being a criminal case, your verdict must be unanimous. In other words, all twelve of you jurors must concur and agree upon the verdict that you reach. Any verdict returned that did not have the unanimous consent and approval of all of you would not be a proper verdict, would not be accepted by this Court. When you have reached your verdict-and the verdict slip, which will be taken out with you, reads as follows: We the jury impaneled and sworn to try the issue joined between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Anthony Dominick Ciotti find the defendant-and then on reaching your verdict, the foreman will fill out the verdict slip either guilty or not guilty as the case may be. The foreman or forelady will then affix their signature, date the verdict slip as of this date.
Now, members of the jury, I join with both counsel in asking you to uphold your oath as good jurors to decide the case solely and alone upon the testimony produced here on the witness stand leaving any impression that you may have reached outside the courtroom aside, leaving any passion or prejudice or bias or sympathy behind you. Assess and evaluate the testimony and reach your decision solely upon that basis.”
*82To hold that a jury, which had been sworn to render a fair verdict on the evidence, and had been carefully instructed on their duties by the trial judge, could reasonably have believed that at the last minute the court had decided as claimed by the defendant, to railroad the defendant to jail, is farfetched. A careful reading of the notes of testimony discloses no attempt to railroad the appellant but on the contrary shows the court handled the entire trial in a fair and impartial manner. To make an objection to the manner of taking the poll of the jury based upon such an insignificant bit of phraseology might well persuade a juror who intended to respond in the negative in answer to the clerk to change his response to some affirmative reply. Counsel had a reasonable basis designed to effectuate his client’s interest by not objecting to the poll. His course of conduct was not constitutionally ineffective.
I would affirm the judgment of sentence.