State v. Cole

595 P.2d 466, 286 Or. 411, 1979 Ore. LEXIS 750
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1979
DocketTC C 77-08-11096, CA 9650, SC 25960
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 595 P.2d 466 (State v. Cole) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Cole, 595 P.2d 466, 286 Or. 411, 1979 Ore. LEXIS 750 (Or. 1979).

Opinions

[413]*413TONGUE, J.

Defendant was convicted of conspiracy to commit armed robbery. At the end of the first day of trial, and after a jury had been selected and sworn, the trial judge became ill and entered the hospital. The next morning the jury was dismissed. Before being retried and convicted three weeks later defendant moved to dismiss the indictment for "former jeopardy.” The trial court denied that motion. The Court of Appeals reversed. 37 Or App 199, 586 P2d 386 (1978).1 We allowed the state’s petition for review.

The facts, as they relate to the question of double jeopardy, are as follows:

The first trial of the defendant began on August 29, 1977, before Judge William M. Dale. After argument on various motions a jury was selected and sworn. Late that afternoon, and before any testimony had been taken or arguments made, the court was adjourned for the day. Judge Dale, who had not been feeling well for several days, went to his doctor who examined him and sent him to a hospital for tests to be made the next day. He remained in the hospital for one week.

Upon entering the hospital at about 8:00 p.m. on August 29th, Judge Dale did not know how many days he would be required to remain there but knew that he would not be able to preside at the trial the next day. He then called his clerk, told him that he could not continue with the trial because of his illness, and instructed his clerk to call counsel by telephone and inform them that he would be unable to do so and that the jury would be discharged. The clerk then called defendant’s attorney and told him that the jury was going to be discharged because Judge Dale was sick and unable to return to court the next day.

[414]*414Neither the state nor the defendant wanted a mistrial. According to defendant’s attorney, he told the clerk in that telephone coversation that he and his client were satisfied with the jury and asked the clerk to ask Judge Dale to retain the jury and set the trial over for one day, but was told that Judge Dale had stated that he was going to be gone for two days because of his illness and that he could not continue with the trial because of his illness.

The next morning (August 30th) at 9:30 a.m., as defendant’s attorney entered the courtroom without his client, the clerk was about to go into the jury room to dismiss the jury. Either then or by telephone on the previous evening there was some discussion between the clerk and Judge Dale of the question whether the trial should be postponed for a "couple of days,” rather than to dismiss the jury, and Judge Dale "indicated” to his clerk that he "could not continue in the trial due to his illness.”

The next day (August 31st) the prosecuting attorney and defendant’s attorney appeared before Judge John C. Beatty, Presiding Criminal Judge, at which time the case was set for retrial on September 15, 1977. At that time defendant’s attorney stated his desire to make a record of his objections to the dismissal of the jury. Judge Beatty then ruled that he would ratify and confirm the action of Judge Dale. There was then the following colloquy:

Mr. Anderson [attorney for defendant]: "The only point I wanted to make is, I did not have an opportunity to formally object on the record because there was no record.”
The Court: "Well, that is true. But under our law when a judge is unable to continue, and Judge Dale was unable to continue and is ill, you cannot continue with another judge.”
Mr. Anderson: "Well, I realize that, Your Honor. There is a question of whether the jury could have been maintained in its present status and just left in a holding pattern for a few days to see what developed.”
[415]*415The Court: "I don’t think we leave jurors in a holding pattern.”2

Judge Beatty also noted at that time that the "manifest necessity” for the mistrial had been "confirmed by the fact that [Judge Dale] remains ill.”

At the beginning of the new trial on September 16, 1977, defendant moved to dismiss the indictment for "former jeopardy,” supported by the affidavit of defendant’s attorney. At that time testimony was taken, including testimony by the defendant that he was satisfied with the original jury and wanted to proceed with the original trial. He then testified as follows:

Q. "What would you have done had an alternative procedure been recommended, such as getting another judge or holding the jury for a couple of days and then proceeding later?”
A. "Well, first of all, let me say that I didn’t particularly want another judge. I wanted that particular judge, and I was satisfied with him, myself.”
Q. "Okay. How about the jury? Were you satisfied with the jury?”
A. "Yes, I was definitely satisfied with the jury.”
Q. "If they had offered us another judge instead of Judge Dale, what would you have done?”
A. "Well, I don’t think I would have accepted that because, like I said, I was satisfied with the judge.”
[416]*416Q. "Mr. Cole, if they had offered us another judge and I had said to you, 'We should take—’ ”
Mr. Davis: "Objection. It’s a leading question. He’s asked and answered the question for us.”
Mr. Anderson: "Well, Your Honor, I—”
The Court: "For the purpose of this inquiry, he may go ahead.”
Q. (By Mr. Anderson) "Mr. Cole, if they offered us another judge and I told you to take this judge and proceed with the trial, that that’s the only way we could keep the jury; would you have done it?”
A. "I had to do whatever my attorney suggested.”3

At the hearing on that motion the prosecuting attorney called as witnesses Judge Dale and his clerk, who testified to the facts as previously stated.4

Upon the conclusion of the testimony, defendant’s attorney contended in argument that he should have had an opportunity by Judge Dale to say "[G]ive me a new judge or let’s let the jury sit for a couple of days and see how sick you really are”; that defendant did not have "any opportunity to propose those alternatives,” and that Judge Dale made no attempt to call any other judge.

The trial court then denied defendant’s motion, holding that Judge Dale had not abused his discretion; that the state had shown a "manifest necessity” and that there is no double jeopardy "when it is physically impossible to proceed with the trial in conformity with the law.”

[417]

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State v. Cole
595 P.2d 466 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1979)

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Bluebook (online)
595 P.2d 466, 286 Or. 411, 1979 Ore. LEXIS 750, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-cole-or-1979.