Court Opinion

ID: 9772183
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 17:09:42.435891+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:42.479869
License: Public Domain

HIGHERS, Judge,
concurring.
I agree with the result in this case, but I would add the following:
The trial judge stated at one point, “I approve the verdict of the jury.” Ordinarily, that would be sufficient to discharge his duty as thirteenth juror. Unfortunately, in this case, that remark cannot be disassociated from the surrounding comments by the trial court, all of which indicate that notwithstanding the polite but persistent urgings of coun*350sel, he simply deferred to the verdict of the jury without independently weighing the evidence and fulfilling his role in passing on the issues presented to the jury.
Under the circumstances, the verdict cannot stand.