Court Opinion

ID: 9603315
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:05:00.094186+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:10.786892
License: Public Domain

ON REHEARING
People v. Waggoner, 196 Colo. 578, 595 P.2d 217 (1979), disapproved the trial court’s entry of a judgment of acquittal. We granted a rehearing and again disapprove the action of the trial court.
The facts presented in the petition for rehearing raised an issue as to the double jeopardy determination of this court. The judgment of acquittal was entered by the trial court after a mistrial was declared for failure of the jury to reach a verdict. After many hours of deliberation, the jury reported that it was unable to agree on a verdict and that no further deliberation would bring about agreement. The hung jury was discharged, and a mistrial was declared.
After numerous attempts to have the case set for retrial, the trial judge reconsidered the defense motion for judgment of acquittal and granted the defendants’ motion. Jeopardy has attached, and the defendants cannot be retried. United States v. Martin Linen Supply Co., 430 U.S. 564, 97 S.Ct. 1349, 51 L.Ed.2d 642 (1977).
The trial court’s entry of a judgment of acquittal pursuant to the defendants’ motion was as much of an acquittal as a not guilty verdict. People v. Martinez, 191 Colo. 428, 553 P.2d 774 (1976).
Accordingly, the judgment of the trial judge is again disapproved.