Court Opinion

ID: 9676850
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 05:36:08.43112+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:51.885269
License: Public Domain

Donald L. Corbin, Justice, dissenting. The appellant was convicted of first degree murder on December 17, 1990. Notice of appeal was filed on December 19, 1990. On March 15, 1991, appellant filed a motion for new trial on the basis that two of the jurors who sat on this jury, together with their spouses were among the 2500 persons who had signed a petition before trial asking that the circuit judge of Miller County call a grand jury to investigate the office of the prosecuting attorney for his failure to “file, charge, and prosecute the Christopher Cigainero homicide.” The petition also requested that a special prosecutor be appointed to investigate this “serious breakdown in justice in Miller County, Arkansas.” It also stated that “a failure to prosecute these criminals is against Arkansas law.” At the hearing on the motion for new trial, it was brought out th?.t each of the two jurors had at least eight opportunities during voir dire to tell the court and counsel of their involvement with the petition, but never did. They remembered that during voir dire the court informed the jury panel that the case involved the murder of Christopher Cigainero; that the prosecutor asked if anyone on the panel knew about the case; and that inquiry was made as to any discussion that the jurors may have had about the case with anyone in such places as a restaurant or church. Both jurors remembered defense counsel’s question of whether anyone thought he or she might not be a qualified juror because of anything he or she had heard or read. However, each denied that, during voir dire, they remembered signing the petition. In arguing her motion, appellant relied on both Ark. Code Ann. § 16-89-130(c)(3) (1987), which provides for a new trial where the verdict was reached by “lot, or in any other manner than by a fair expression of opinion by the jurors” and section 16-89-130(c) (7) which provides for a new trial “[w]here, from the misconduct of the jury, or from any other cause, the court is of the opinion that the defendant has not received a fair and impartial trial.” Appellant argued this motion was timely filed within the November 1990 term of the court as provided by section 16-89-130(b). The majority opinion concludes that her motion was untimely and therefore declines consideration of what actually occurred. The writ of error coram nobis might be the better way of dealing with such a problem as presented in this case. We have limited its availability to cases where there is an error of fact extrinsic to the record such as insanity at the time of trial, a coerced plea of guilty, or material evidence withheld by the prosecutor that might have resulted in a different verdict. Taylor v. State, 303 Ark. 586, 799 S.W.2d 519 (1990). This limitation is justifiable for the reason that we would have little or no finality in criminal prosecutions in the absence of a strictly limited application of the writ. This case presents facts that would perhaps warrant an extension of our limited application of the writ of error coram nobis. A trial by a fair and impartial jury made up of one’s peers is the very cornerstone of our American system of jurisprudence. It is a right granted to us by our United States and State Constitutions and protected by case law spanning the 156 years of this court’s existence. Today, this court departs from this fundamental and guaranteed right because of noncompliance with a court rule of procedure. True enough, the attorney for the defendant failed to timely move for a new trial, the evidence of guilt is overwhelming, and the attorney should probably have checked the names of the jury panel against the 2500 plus names on the petition (a tedious task); however, he should also be allowed some leniency in failing to check the signatures given the failure of the jurors to inform counsel of their familiarity with the case and involvement with the petition. There should be a remedy when the jury starts up 10 to 2. These two jurors should not have been on this panel.