Court Opinion

ID: 9884852
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 03:17:42.433091+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:41.322309
License: Public Domain

FORSBERG, Judge,
concurring specialty:
I concur but would respectfully suggest that the cases relied upon by the majority, State v. Ernster, 147 Minn. 81, 179 N.W. 640 (1920) and State v. Slocum, 111 Minn. 328, 126 N.W. 1096 (1910), be overruled. These cases were decided prior to the time when grand jury proceedings were transcribed. Without a transcript there was no way to determine whether the unauthorized person was merely present or was acting in some way to prejudice the accused. Therefore, a per se rule of dismissal was required any time an unauthorized person was even present during grand jury proceedings.
Now the rules require a transcript of all testimony taken before a grand jury. Rule 18.05 requires that a verbatim record shall be made by a reporter or recording instrument of (1) the evidence taken before the grand jury, (2) of all statements made to the grand jury, and (3) all events occurring while a witness is before the grand jury. Rule 18.05, subd. 1, Minn.R.Crim.P. These requirements are adequate safeguards with which to protect the grand jury process. Shamla’s continued presence in no *877way jeopardized the secrecy or privacy of the proceedings. The real concern about unauthorized persons in a grand jury proceeding is that the unauthorized person may “advise or urge action on the part of the jury” whether or not to return an indictment, or otherwise influence the jurors. Ernster, 147 Minn. at 85, 179 N.W. at 641. Reference to the verbatim transcript would reveal with sufficient accuracy whether something was said or done by the unauthorized person which prejudiced the accused. In light of the time, energy, and expense involved in the grand jury process, this seems to be a more practical solution than a per se rule requiring dismissal.