Court Opinion

ID: 9531375
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:10:16.813659+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:25.778398
License: Public Domain

PETERS, J.
I dissent.
The majority opinion correctly states the law but then misapplies that law to the facts shown by the record.
The majority opinion correctly points out that the applicable code sections (Pen. Code, §§ 1121, 1128 and 1181, subd. 3) prohibit the separation of the jury after submission of the case to it, except by court consent or under supervision. The majority opinion also correctly points out that since 1855 it has been the law of California that “if the separation was such that a juror might have been improperly influenced by others the verdict would have to be set aside,” citing People v. Backus, 5 Cal. 275. The majority opinion also correctly states that proof of an improper separation “without any showing by the defendant of improper conduct, raises a presumption of prejudice and is of itself sufficient ground for granting a new trial. (People v. Hawley, 111 Cal. 78, 86 [43 P. 404].) In this state the burden of rebutting this presumption is upon the prosecution. [Citing several authorities.] ”
Thus, if the separation of the jury took place under circumstances “that a juror might have been improperly influenced” *536a “presumption of prejudice” arises. This presumption the prosecution must overcome or the verdict must be set aside.
In the instant case, the improper separation of the jury is admitted. Thus, the only question is whether that separation occurred under circumstances that one or more of the three separated jurors “might have been improperly influenced by others” during the separation. The record demonstrates that this is a reasonable possibility. This being so the verdict cannot stand.
The majority opinion states the facts to be that after submission of the case, the bailiff took the jury to a restaurant for dinner; that three of the jurors, separately, were permitted to go to a telephone, unescorted, for the stated reason of calling their respective families; that the telephone used was located in the kitchen of the restaurant 30 to 40 feet from where the bailiff was seated; that there was an uncovered opening between the kitchen and the dining room where the bailiff was seated; that each call lasted about one minute; that the bailiff could see the jurors at the telephone and hear their voices, but could not hear what they said. But what the majority does not state is that the kitchen was occupied by cooks and perhaps others who may have talked to the three jurors or made references to the ease in the presence of those jurors. The record shows that throughout the hearing before the trial court challenging the separation of the jury, it was assumed, at all pertinent times, by everyone connected with this proceeding, and particularly by the prosecution and by the trial judge, that during the telephone calls the kitchen was occupied by cooks and perhaps by other persons. In fact the trial judge in ruling that the “presumption of prejudice” had been overcome, based his ruling on the fact that because cooks were present in the kitchen, and could have heard the telephone conversations, it would have been highly unlikely that the jurors would have engaged in improper conversation on the telephone. (C1. Tr. 54, 55.) The attorney general, in his brief, adopts this argument. He urges that the trial court’s ruling was largely based on the fact that because the telephone calls were “made in the presence of other persons [the cooks et al.] ” the separation of the jurors could not possibly have caused any prejudice to petitioner.
The majority opinion admits that the separation took place under circumstances sufficient to raise the “presumption of prejudice,” but holds such presumption was rebutted in this habeas corpus proceeding by the affidavits of the three jurors *537and of the three members of their families with whom they claimed they talked, to the effect that the ease was not talked about during the telephone conversations.
To this argument there are several answers. The majority opinion concedes that the affidavits of the jurors “are the weakest type of evidence.” The affidavits of the members of their families to whom they talked during these telephone conversations would seem to be in the same category. Yet the state did not produce or offer any excuse for not producing additional evidence of a higher nature which was available, that is the testimony of the cooks and probably others who, the trial judge and the attorney general concede could have overheard the conversations. In such a situation section 1963, subdivision 6 of the Code of Civil Procedure is applicable. It provides that it is to be presumed “That higher evidence would be adverse from inferior being produced.” Thus, the “presumption of prejudice” was not rebutted by the affidavits offered.
The presumption of prejudice was not rebutted for another reason. There is no showing of any kind that those in the kitchen did not talk to the jurors about the case, or make remarks about the case in the presence of the jurors. The jurors’ affidavits do not deny that the cooks in the kitchen talked to them, nor have any affidavits of the cooks been filed. Under these facts the reasonable possibility exists that these three jurors may have been improperly influenced by biased members of the restaurant staff. Certainly, it is a possibility that the cooks, in the presence of the jurors, may have said something to those jurors about the case. These facts, under the very rules of law set forth in the majority opinion, require the issuance of the writ. Certainly, it was not incumbent on Winchester to prove that the cooks had talked to the jurors about the case. To the contrary, it was incumbent upon the prosecution to rebut the presumption that they had. This the prosecution did not do. Thus the case is really a very simple one. Since the prosecution has not produced evidence to rebut the presumption of possible misconduct of persons other than those to whom the telephone calls were made, the prosecution has not sustained its burden. The possibility exists that one or more of the three separated jurors “might have been improperly influenced by others.” This being so, and that possibility being reasonable and not being rebutted, the writ must issue.
*538The majority opinion seeks to overcome this argument by the simple statement that the “possibility that the jurors may have been approached by some person or persons present in the kitchen is so remote that we do not believe a presumption of prejudice may be supported by that possibility alone.” What makes that “possibility” “ remote”? It is not only a possibility but it is a reasonable possibility. It is strengthened, if it needs strengthening, by the fact that the record shows that this case had aroused great public interest in this small community and had caused expressions of feelings adverse to petitioner. While the majority opinion correctly points out that the trial judge denied the improper conduct attributed to him by counsel for petitioner, the record also includes his admission that he was required to, and in fact did, admonish the spectators during the trial when such spectators audibly expressed their feelings adverse to Winchester.
Under these circumstances, it seems clear to me that the “presumption of prejudice” arose and has not been rebutted. Thus, in my opinion, the writ should issue.
There is another factor to be considered. Although the charge against petitioner was failure to support a minor child, the basic issue was paternity. Although normally that issue is triable in the superior court (Civ. Code, §§ 196a and 231), because failure to support is a misdemeanor triable in the justice court, it has been held that that court can and must determine the issue of paternity. (In re Clarke, 149 Cal.App.2d 802, 808 [309 P.2d 142]; Silva v. Justice Court, 160 Cal.App.2d 650, 651 [325 P.2d 116].) If it be assumed that such eases correctly state the law, it means that if the present adjudication stands, as between defendant and the State of California, there is a final adjudication of paternity that will become res judicata on that issue. At the trial, defendant’s basic defense was that he is not the father of the child. Thus, unless this adjudication is set aside, defendant, as against the state, will be forever estopped from raising the issue of paternity. Under such circumstances great care should be taken to see that Winchester’s rights are fully protected. Included in those rights is the right to a fair trial before a jury that under no reasonable possibility may have been improperly influenced. Such possibility here exists.
Inherent, although unexpressed, in the majority opinion is the thought that by granting petitioner’s application this court might be doing violence to the rules and customs which have developed since the inclusion of both sexes on juries, *539and which are intended to promulgate efficient deliberation without offending public morals or convenience. By deciding this case upon the grounds set forth in this dissent, a just result may be reached without doing violence to any such rules or customs. Such determination would have the additional effect of enforcing those rules which were established at common law (and subsequently codified in this state) as safeguards against improper extraneous influences on a jury. The sanctity of a jury trial must be protected.
I would issue the writ.
Sehauer, J., concurred.
Petitioner’s application for a rehearing was denied February 24, 1960. Sehauer, J., and Peters, J., were of the opinion that the application should be granted.