Court Opinion

ID: 7821855
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 17:57:19.499229+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:42.021751
License: Public Domain

John I. Purtle, Justice, dissenting. As far as I am able to ascertain this is the first time in history that a jury verdict has been set aside because one of the jurors stated one of the witnesses had “pretty blue eyes.” In fact, during my trial days I heard similar remarks on a number of occasions and the thought never occurred to me, nor apparently to the court, nor even to the opposing attorney, that there was anything wrong with this. Even a juror must continue to live a fairly normal life during the time he is serving in that capacity. In fact, one of the instructions admonishes the jury not to disregard their common sense in matters of daily life. The jury is admonished not to talk about the case. They are not admonished not to talk to anyone. The majority correctly determined that the evidence was sufficient to support the verdict rendered by the jury in this case. They could not reverse the case on the facts; therefore, they trudged along with the trial court who set aside a verdict because of an exchange of pleasantries between one of the appellee’s witnesses and a juror. I cannot find an Arkansas case where such action was taken by a trial court. However, the appellant has cited three cases where improper conduct of a juror was alleged and the trial court refhsed to set aside the verdict. In each case we affirmed the trial court. In the case of Williams v. Williams, 112 Ark. 507, 166 S.W. 552 (1914), a new trial was requested because the counsel for the defendant signed an affidavit in which he alleged one of the jurors was outside the jury room talking to a person other than the officer in charge of the jury. He further alleged the jury was deliberating the case at that time. The court stated: ... If the jury was permitted to separate by the court, the jurors would necessarily speak to persons with whom they came in contact. If they violated the admonition of the court not to speak about the case, the burden of showing that fact would be upon the defendant, and he has not attempted to show that the conversation that the juror had in any wise pertained to the case which the jury had under consideration. In the case of Midland Valley Railway Co. v. Barkley, 172 Ark. 898, 291 S.W. 431 (1927), a new trial was sought on the grounds that a juror had been guilty of misconduct. The conduct consisted of the juror riding back and forth from his home to the courthouse in the plaintiff’s automobile and thereafter paying for the plaintiff’s dinner in return for the courtesy. The trial court refused to set aside the verdict and this court affirmed. There is no evidence in the present case that anyone was given a ride or furnished a dinner, or a cigar, or a soft drink, or promised anything whatsoever. Certainly Barkley would be more compelling for setting aside the trial than the present case. A third case which deserves mention is that of St. Louis Southwestern Railway Co. v. Ellenwood, 123 Ark. 428, 185 S.W. 768 (1916). This case states that the conduct of jurors being treated to cigars and soft drinks by plaintiffs counsel during the trial did not warrant a setting aside of the verdict. Again, the trial court refused to set aside the verdict and this court affirmed. In the present case appellee’s attorney reported to the court that Jordan and Andrews were talking to jurors during a recess. These two witnesses, one of whom was appellant’s witness, informed the court that the appellee’s expert witness, Don Eppinette, was with them during the time the parties were talking to the juror. Appellant’s counsel at that time suggested that the juror be called in and questioned about the matter. Appellee’s attorney would not agree to this suggestion and in fact withdrew his previous motion for a mistrial. It is obvious that the appellee felt it was best to take his chance on completing the trial and in the event of unfavorable results to try to get a second shot at it. This is exactly what the majority has agreed to do. There is not one single word by any witness for any party to the effect that the case being tried was even remotely referred to in the alleged misconduct. One would have to speculate in order to say that a juror violated the admonition given to him by the court. That admonition is not to speak to anyone about the case. This juror did not speak to anyone about the case; certainly the witness’s blue eyes were not the subject of this lawsuit. Neither the trial court nor this court has any authority whatsoever from any source to attempt to completely control the conduct of people who are participating in a trial. All that is required or needed is that the parties obey the instructions of the court. As far as this record shows, that admonition was strictly followed by all members of the jury. The conversation by appellant’s attorney with a juror after the trial was completely in order. Until now I had thought that there was a firmly established principle of law that a party will be deemed to have waived, or will be estopped to rely upon an error or grounds for mistrial, which came to his attention during the trial, if he failed to make the proper objection. We dealt with this subject matter in a case which is somewhat analogous to the present one in Arkansas Highway Commission v. Kennedy, 233 Ark. 844, 349 S.W. 2d 133 (1961). There we stated: Under our statutes, as well as the practice in this State, it is too late after the rendition of a verdict, to raise the ineligibility of a juror to serve, unless it can be shown by the complaining party that diligence was used to ascertain his disqualification and to prevent his selection as a juror. See: Missouri Pacific Railroad v. Bushey, 180 Ark. 19, 20 S.W. 2d 614. In the present case Andrews was called to the trial by the appellee. Also, his star witness, Eppinette, was present during the conversation. Certainly the appellant had ample opportunity to question these witnesses and upon his failure to do so he waived the matter of misconduct of a juror. I would reverse. Adkisson, C.J., joins in this dissent.