United States v. Powell

765 F. Supp. 920, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8213, 1991 WL 105501
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedJune 10, 1991
DocketNo. CR2-89-243
StatusPublished

This text of 765 F. Supp. 920 (United States v. Powell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Powell, 765 F. Supp. 920, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8213, 1991 WL 105501 (S.D. Ohio 1991).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

GEORGE C. SMITH, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court pursuant to the motion of Defendants Powell and Walker for the Court to declare a mistrial. The motion comes as a result of the inadvertent inclusion of a copy of written transcripts of the videotaped testimony of Government Witnesses Brenda Givens, Joyce Crawford and Halima Isa in the items taken back with the jury to the deliberation room.1 The transcript itself was not part of the evidence.

FACTS

The actual copy of the transcript that went into the deliberation room with the jury was a full copy of the testimony of the three witnesses. The copy was created for the convenience of the Court Reporter and noted, with a yellow highlighter, those sections of the videotaped testimony that were not to be viewed by the jury. At trial those sections were simply skipped over and thus not in evidence. Sections of the transcript were not to be viewed by the jury for one of two reasons, either the Court upheld an objection properly made on the record, or by stipulation of the parties the testimony was deemed unnecessary [921]*921or irrelevant. For purposes of determining what harm, if any, was done the Court need only concern itself with that information which was excluded based upon sustained objections.

The transcripts of the three witnesses consist of approximately Seven Hundred pages of testimony. The transcript contained Three Hundred and Sixty objections (360), Two Hundred and Twenty (220) from the defendants and One Hundred and Forty (140) from the Government. The Court sustained Eighteen (18) objections; coincidentally, nine (9) each for both the government and the defendants.2

Upon determining that the jury was in possession of the transcripts the Court immediately held a conference in chambers, on the record, with all parties present. At the conference the foreperson was called in and informed to bring the notebook containing the transcripts. The Court interviewed the foreperson concerning the transcripts. Essentially, the foreperson informed the Court that the transcripts were indeed read, at times aloud, however, the jury was of the impression that the lines and pages that had been highlighted were not to be read. The foreperson stated that he had not read any of the highlighted materials and was of the belief that none of the other jurors had read that material either. The foreperson was then sent back to continue deliberations with the other jurors.

Concerned that the jury may reach a verdict before the Court and counsel had an opportunity to fully consider the situation, the Court stopped deliberations and sent the jury home for the evening. This provided counsel an opportunity to research and brief the Court on the matter. The briefs were submitted the following morning. During the evening break the Court had an opportunity to review the contents of the transcripts with specific interest placed upon the contents of those sections that were highlighted due to the Court’s sustaining of objections (See fn. 2).

On May 30, 1991, the Court reconvened counsel in chambers and informed them of the Court’s desire to voir dire the jurors individually to better determine what, if any, effect the inclusion of the extraneous materials had on their deliberations. Each juror was called before the Court and questioned about the blue notebook containing the transcriptions. After questioning the juror, the juror was instructed not to discuss the contents of the discussions just held with the Court and was sent to a second room separate from those jurors waiting to be questioned.

Essentially the jurors were asked five questions: 1) Whether they had ever seen the blue notebook containing the transcripts; all stated that they had seen the notebook in the jury deliberation room; 2) Whether they had read from the notebook; six jurors said they had in fact personally read from the notebook; 3) If they had read from the book, without specifics, what sections they read from; virtually all individuals that had read from the notebook stated they had reread portions of Brenda Givens’ testimony; 4) Whether they had seen or noted the yellow highlighted material; some had seen the yellow highlighting and others simply heard that the book contained yellow highlighting; and 5) Whether they had read any of the yellow highlighted material; the jurors independently yet unanimously stated that it was their belief that the highlighted materials were not to be read. Each juror separately and individ[922]*922ually stated that they had not read any of the yellow highlighted materials.

At the completion of the voir dire the Court denied the motions for a mistrial and informed the parties that the instant Opinion and Order would be forthcoming. Court was briefly reconvened at which time the Court read the following instruction to the jurors:

Inadvertently a written copy of the videotaped testimony was included with those items of evidence which were sent back with you to the jury room for your consideration. This was not the fault of anyone. The Court assumes control of all exhibits and takes full responsibility for the error.
You are not to give any greater weight to the testimony of those witnesses over any other testimony or evidence simply because you may have had an opportunity to view a portion of the written transcripts. As previously instructed, you are to rely upon your collective memories of the testimony and your own personal notes. You must not and should not consider in any way anything you may have read in the written transcripts. These transcripts are not part of the evidence and cannot be considered.
I will now ask you to continue your deliberations.

At approximately 3:00 p.m., on May 30, 1991, the jury returned a verdict on all counts. The defendants were found guilty on all counts except for Count Eight, wherein the jury found Defendant Powell not guilty.

STANDARD

The granting of a mistrial is within the discretion of the trial court and the standard is whether defendant’s right to a fair and impartial jury has been impaired. United States v. Evans, 542 F.2d 805, 815 (10th Cir.1976), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 1101, 97 S.Ct. 1124, 51 L.Ed.2d 550 (1977).3 The question presented in these types of cases is whether the materials inadvertently placed before the jury was so blatantly prejudicial that a mistrial must be declared regardless of any affirmation by the jurors that they could continue to be fair and impartial in their deliberations.

In Dallago v. United States, 427 F.2d 546 (D.C.Cir.1969), the Court held that consideration by the jury of documents not in evidence is error, and if prejudice is shown, the conviction will be reversed and a new trial ordered. Id. at 553. Nonconstitutional error is prejudicial if one cannot reasonably conclude that the judgment was not substantially swayed by the error. Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U.S. 750, 765, 66 S.Ct. 1239, 1248, 90 L.Ed. 1557 (1946); Dallago, 427 F.2d at 560; Leigh v. United States,

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Related

Kotteakos v. United States
328 U.S. 750 (Supreme Court, 1946)
Remmer v. United States
347 U.S. 227 (Supreme Court, 1954)
Richard E. Leigh v. United States
308 F.2d 345 (D.C. Circuit, 1962)
Alfred Dallago v. United States
427 F.2d 546 (D.C. Circuit, 1969)
United States v. Robert G. Warner
428 F.2d 730 (Eighth Circuit, 1970)
United States v. Anthony M. Siragusa
450 F.2d 592 (Second Circuit, 1971)
United States v. Jesse Lee Evans
542 F.2d 805 (Tenth Circuit, 1976)
United States v. Mary Josephine Vasquez
597 F.2d 192 (Ninth Circuit, 1979)
United States v. Billy Harold Barnes
747 F.2d 246 (Fourth Circuit, 1984)
United States v. Howard
506 F.2d 865 (Fifth Circuit, 1975)
Bulger v. McClay
575 F.2d 407 (Second Circuit, 1978)

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Bluebook (online)
765 F. Supp. 920, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8213, 1991 WL 105501, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-powell-ohsd-1991.