Court Opinion

ID: 9700173
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 21:14:59.164302+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:05.265407
License: Public Domain

*153PRICE, Judge,
dissenting:
The pivotal question is whether the trial court properly exercised its discretion in finding manifest necessity to warrant declaring this mistrial. Since I believe that that discretion was properly exercised, I would affirm the denial of the motion to quash in the lower court.
I agree that doubt must be resolved in favor of appellant, however, I would not find a doubt under the circumstances here presented.
The trial judge did not assume a deadlock on the jury. The jury, through the foreman, stated the belief that the jury would never be able to reach a verdict. This was done in open court with all of the jurors present. The trial court had the benefit of the reactions of the jury. None of the jurors offered any contrary view when the foreman informed the court of the deadlock. Commonwealth v. Bartolomucci, 468 Pa. 338, 362 A.2d 234 (1976).
I find no requirement that each juror be questioned. Indeed, the court in Bartolomucci, supra, declined to express a view on such a procedure. And, in keeping with the discretion involved, I note the following excerpt from the trial judge’s remarks at the time the mistrial was declared:
“This has been a difficult case from many angles and in many respects and obviously, you have served very conscientiously, you have given to it your best, and I thank you very much for what you have done.
Not every case is resolved by the jury, and you’ve not been able to resolve this one. But it’s written all over your faces that you’ve given it your real consideration, you’ve given it real effort, and I thank you and I congratulate you. ” (NT 616) (Emphasis added).
Such a clear indication that the trial judge read the reaction of the jury as agreement with the foreman’s answers, as set forth in the majority opinion, leaves no doubt in my mind that the mistrial was properly declared.
Further, the record reveals no request by appellant to poll the jury, nor does it reveal an objection to the declaration of *154a mistrial. Under Commonwealth v. Clair, 458 Pa. 418, 326 A.2d 272 (1974), errors not objected to at trial will not be reviewed on appeal. I believe appellant has waived his right to the relief the majority grants.
I would affirm the court below.