Brooks v. Wiley

985 So. 2d 1269, 2007 La.App. 4 Cir. 1035, 2008 La. App. LEXIS 907, 2008 WL 2344149
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 4, 2008
DocketNo. 2007-CA-1035
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 985 So. 2d 1269 (Brooks v. Wiley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brooks v. Wiley, 985 So. 2d 1269, 2007 La.App. 4 Cir. 1035, 2008 La. App. LEXIS 907, 2008 WL 2344149 (La. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

BELSOME, Judge.

| iThis litigation arises from allegations of medical malpractice against defendant/appellee, Dr. Kenneth Wiley in the treatment of Viola Narcisse. The plaintiffs/appellants are appealing the jury’s verdict in favor of Dr. Wiley.

On May 19, 1997, Viola Narcisse, a 74 year-old female, was admitted to St. Charles General Hospital by Dr. Wiley, an internal medicine physician. At the time she was admitted, Ms. Narcisse had a history of two to three weeks of poor intake, general malaise, weakness, and mild fevers. She was described as a 5'5", 98 pound female, who was alert and oriented.

Upon a neurological examination of Ms. Narcisse, the impression was dehydration, chronic renal insufficiency, malnutrition, hypertension, and recent cerebral vascular accident. On admission, chest x-rays showed a slightly enlarged heart, but was considered negative. Ms. Narcisse was transferred to skilled nursing on May 22, 1997 for continued treatment.

Ms. Narcisse was discharged on July 2, 1997. One day later she was rushed to the emergency room of University Hospital in cardiopulmonary arrest. The |2hospital staff was unable to resuscitate her, and she was pronounced dead. The autopsy report initially attributed her death to “malignancy.” After a request to review those findings, the coroner issued another autopsy report which attributed her death to miliary tuberculosis involving the lungs, pleurae, mediastinal and mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, liver, fallopian tubes, and hypophysis.

Thereafter, plaintiffs filed a complaint with the Louisiana Patients’ Compensation [1271]*1271Fund, alleging that Dr. Wiley was negligent in his diagnosis and treatment of Ms. Narcisse. The Medical Review Panel determined that Dr. Wiley’s care and treatment of Ms. Narcisse did not breach the standard of care. Subsequently, this lawsuit was filed against Dr. Wiley and a jury trial ensued. Ultimately a 9-3 verdict was returned in favor of Dr. Wiley. The trial court signed a judgment in conformity with the verdict of the jury. The plaintiffs then filed a Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict or, Alternatively, Motion for New Trial.

At the hearing on those motions the plaintiffs argued that the jury’s verdict was contrary to the law and evidence and thus a JNOV was appropriate. Alternatively, the plaintiffs’ filed a motion for new trial alleging jury misconduct and that the trial judge had ex parte communication with the jury. After hearing arguments and taking testimony on the issues, the trial court denied the plaintiffs’ motions and this appeal followed.

On appeal the plaintiffs/appellants list several assignments of error on the part of the trial court, 1) the trial court erred in denying appellants’ motion for new | ¡¡trial; 2) the jury erred in finding that Dr. Wiley met the standard of care in Ms. Narcisse’s treatment; 3) the jury erred in not finding that Dr. Wiley’s breach of the standard of care caused and contributed to Ms. Nar-cisse’s death; and 4) the trial court erred in denying appellants’ motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict.

Appellants’ argument on the first assignment of error asserts that there were two grounds upon which the trial court should have granted their motion for new trial. Specifically, appellants contend that jury misconduct and the trial judge’s ex parte communication with the jury warranted a new trial.

This Court reviews the granting or denial of a motion for new trial under an abuse of discretion standard. Davis v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 00-445 (La.11/28/00), 774 So.2d 84. The granting of a new trial is not justified in every instance of jury misconduct. Gormley v. Grand Lodge of State of Louisiana, 503 So.2d 181, 186 (La.App. 4 Cir.1987). The party seeking a new trial on the basis of jury misconduct must show that the conduct has prevented the impartial administration of justice. La. C.C.P. art. 1972(3). Because there is not an expressed definition of improper behavior by a juror or jury, the facts and circumstances of each particular case must be reviewed to determine whether said behavior was improper. West v. National Railroad Passenger Corp., 03-1707, p. 6 (La.App. 4 Cir. 6/23/04), 879 So.2d 327, 332 citing Uriegas v. Gainsco, 94-1400 (La.App 3 Cir. 9/13/95), 663 So.2d 162.

The appellants aver that the jury had access to documents that were not submitted as evidence in the course of the trial. More specifically, they claim that Rat least one juror reviewed documents from attorneys’ files that were left inside of the courtroom during deliberations. Thus, the jury verdict was tainted and a new trial should be granted. At the hearing on the motion for new trial, appellants called the jury foreperson, Raymond Bankston, and juror, John Ellison to testify regarding the documents that were reviewed and the impact it may have had on the jury’s verdict. The witnesses were also present to testify as to any ex parte communication that was had with the trial court judge.

Mr. Bankston testified first, stating that at approximately 6:00 p.m. on the Friday night that the jurors began deliberations he informed the judge “I don’t think it’s going to happen tonight.” He then stated [1272]*1272that the judge discussed the options for further deliberations. The judge explained that the jurors could try to continue on that night, return on Saturday morning or return on Monday morning. Bankston said that he related this information to the other jurors and they decided to stay awhile longer. The jury returned the 9-3 verdict at approximately 7:45 p.m. that Friday evening. Mr. Bank-ston was specifically asked if he felt as though “any juror just sort of threw in a towel or switched their vote just to say, let’s get out of here, it’s getting late?” Mr. Bankston responded: “I honestly do not feel that way.”

Next Mr. Ellison was called to testify. His testimony did not conflict with Mr. Bankston’s testimony concerning their communication with the judge. He further admitted to rummaging through a box of documents that had not been admitted as evidence, but were left in the courtroom. Mr. Ellison was questioned about what, if any, effect the viewing of the materials in the box had on the outcome of the jury’s verdict:

Q. Did you tell anyone what you did or didn’t look at, any of the other jurors?
Is A. No.
Q. Had you already made — did you change your mind after you went through the boxes?
A. No.
Q. Your jury position?
A. No.

He further explained that he was on the “plaintiffs side”, but after reviewing the law as presented in the jury instructions together with the medical panel opinion and the testimony of the defendant’s experts he voted with the defense and that his vote did not change. In sum, he claimed that no one else looked in the box, he did not share any information or documents he viewed and he maintained that it did not influence his decision.

The appellants also alleged that the trial court knew prior to 6:00 p.m. that the jurors were deadlocked and shared that information with appellee’s counsel, Michael Daly. Appellants’ counsel continued to disseminate that allegation even after the judge assured them that there was no truth to it.

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Bluebook (online)
985 So. 2d 1269, 2007 La.App. 4 Cir. 1035, 2008 La. App. LEXIS 907, 2008 WL 2344149, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brooks-v-wiley-lactapp-2008.