State v. Ledger

499 N.W.2d 198, 175 Wis. 2d 116, 1993 Wisc. App. LEXIS 229, 1993 WL 52442
CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedMarch 3, 1993
Docket92-0750-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by46 cases

This text of 499 N.W.2d 198 (State v. Ledger) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Ledger, 499 N.W.2d 198, 175 Wis. 2d 116, 1993 Wisc. App. LEXIS 229, 1993 WL 52442 (Wis. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinions

NETTESHEIM, P.J.

Michael Ledger appeals from a judgment of conviction for masked armed robbery [120]*120as a party to the crime, contrary to secs. 939.05, 939.641 and 943.32(2), Stats., and from an order denying his motion for postconviction relief. Ledger's principal argument is that his right to a jury trial under the Wisconsin Constitution was violated when the parties stipulated to allow a thirteen-member jury panel to deliberate and render a verdict.1 He also argues that statements obtained by the police after his arrest violated his sixth amendment right to counsel and that a voice identification lineup procedure was unconstitutionally violative of his right to due process and his sixth amendment right to counsel. We affirm.

On December 6, 1989, a masked armed robbery occurred at a Brookfield service station. Ledger was later arrested and charged with masked armed robbery as a party to the crime based upon information obtained from the victim and from Ledger's accomplice during the robbery.

By a pretrial motion, Ledger sought to suppress certain statements made by him to the police. He also sought to suppress the victim's voice identification obtained via a voice lineup procedure. The tried court denied both suppression requests.

At the opening of the trial, the trial court suggested that an additional juror be impaneled because of the anticipated length of the trial. The parties agreed. See secs. 972.04(1) and 805.08(2), Stats. The court also urged the parties to consider using the thirteen-member jury to deliberate and render a verdict. The court stated it would ask for the parties' position on the issue at the close of the evidence.

Before the case was submitted to the jury, the trial court revisited this question. The prosecutor and defense [121]*121counsel mutually agreed to allow the thirteen-member jury to deliberate and render a verdict. In a personal colloquy with Ledger, the trial court explained the agreement and ensured that Ledger both understood and desired to have the thirteen-member jury deliberate his guilt or innocence. Ledger replied that he understood the agreement, that he had discussed the matter with his attorney, and that he wished to proceed with the thirteen-member jury.2

Pursuant to the parties' agreement, the thirteen-member jury deliberated and returned a verdict. The jury found Ledger guilty of masked armed robbery as a party to the crime. The court sentenced Ledger to twenty-five years imprisonment. After denial of his postconviction motions, Ledger brought this appeal.

[122]*122THIRTEEN-MEMBER JURY

Ledger claims that the use of a thirteen-member jury is not recognized by Wisconsin statutory law. Thus, he concludes that the use of the thirteen-member jury violated his right to a jury trial pursuant to the Wisconsin Constitution, art. I, sec. 7,3 despite his agreement to the contrary.

Whether Ledger was denied a constitutional right is a question of constitutional fact that we review independently as a question of law. State v. Dean, 163 Wis. 2d 503, 511, 471 N.W.2d 310, 313-14 (Ct. App. 1991).

Ledger relies upon a series of Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions to support his argument that his right to a jury trial under the Wisconsin Constitution was violated when the parties stipulated to a thirteen-member jury panel. In State v. Lockwood, 43 Wis. 403 (1877), the supreme court held that the trial court was without jurisdiction to try a criminal case without a jury even in the face of a jury waiver. "The right of trial by jury," the court declared, "is secured by the constitution, upon a principle of public policy, and cannot be waived." Id. at 405.

Eight years later, in In re Staff, 63 Wis. 285, 294-95, 23 N.W. 587, 590-91 (1885), the supreme court departed from the absolute stance taken in Lockwood and upheld the constitutionality of the defendant's jury waiver. [123]*123There, the defendant waived a jury trial in municipal court pursuant to a statute which recognized such a waiver in limited situations.4 The court held that the defendant could constitutionally waive a jury trial in those instances where the legislature had expressly provided for such a procedure. Id. at 294-96, 23 N.W. at 590-91.

In a later case, Jennings v. State, 134 Wis. 307, 114 N.W. 492 (1908), however, the supreme court relied on Lockwood to support its holding that an accused cannot consent to a jury of less than twelve. The court reasoned that " [i]f it is deemed good public policy to extend the privilege of waiving a jury in criminal cases, such policy should find expression in appropriate legislative action." Jennings, 134 Wis. at 310, 114 N.W. at 493.

In 1911, the Wisconsin legislature enacted a statute which allowed a waiver of less than twelve jurors but not a waiver of a jury trial altogether.5 Mindful of this fact, the supreme court ruled in State v. Smith, 184 Wis. 664, 672-73, 200 N.W. 638, 641 (1924), that the defendant could not waive a jury in full. The legislature responded [124]*124one year later with an amendment to the trial by jury statute permitting a trial without a jury with the consent of the defendant. See sec. 357.01, Stats. (1925).6

The theme Ledger draws from these cases is that unless the legislature has expressly recognized a particular kind of jury waiver, such waiver is constitutionally ineffective. See, e.g., State ex rel. Sauk County D.A. v. Gollmar, 32 Wis. 2d 406, 410 & n.3, 145 N.W.2d 670, 672 (1966). He reasons that because the present trial by jury statute, sec. 972.02, Stats., does not expressly recognize a jury comprised of more than twelve members, his agreement to the contrary and the trial court's approval of the procedure is without legal effect.

[125]*125Section 972.02, Stats., provides in relevant part:

Jury trial; waiver. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, criminal cases shall be tried by a jury of 12, drawn as prescribed in ch. 805, unless the defendant waives a jury in writing or by statement in open court or under s. 967.08(2) (b), on the record, with the approval of the court and the consent of the state.
(2) At any time before verdict the parties may stipulate in writing or by statement in open court, on the record, with the approval of the court, that the jury shall consist of any number less than 12.

We accept Ledger's assertion that the jury contemplated by art. I, sec. 7 of the Wisconsin Constitution is the type of jury recognized at common law, i.e., a twelve-member jury. See, e.g., State ex. rel Sauk County, 32 Wis. 2d at 409, 145 N.W.2d at 671-72; State v. Cooley, 105 Wis. 2d 642, 645, 315 N.W.2d 369, 370-71 (Ct. App. 1981). We also accept that a thirteen-member jury is not contemplated by sec. 972.02, Stats., since subsec. (1) of the statute recognizes a twelve-member jury and subsec. (2) recognizes a jury of less than twelve members when all parties stipulate. We also note that sec.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
499 N.W.2d 198, 175 Wis. 2d 116, 1993 Wisc. App. LEXIS 229, 1993 WL 52442, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-ledger-wisctapp-1993.