§ 28-14-18 — Conduct of jurors in retirement

When the case finally is submitted to the jurors, they may decide in court or retire for
deliberation. If they retire, they must be kept together in some convenient place under charge of
an officer, until they agree upon a verdict, are temporarily dismissed by the court, or are
permanently discharged by the court. Unless, by order of the court, the officer having the jurors
under the officer's charge must not suffer any communication to be made to them, or make any
personally except to ask them if they have agreed upon a verdict, and the officer, before the
verdict is rendered, must not communicate to anyone the state of their deliberations or the
verdict agreed upon. If the jurors have not agreed upon a verdict during normal working hours of
any day of deliberations, the trial judge may temporarily dismiss the jurors and direct them when
to resume deliberations. If a trial jury contains both male and female members, the trial judge
may direct that the female members of the jury be placed in charge of a female bailiff and
permitted to retire to a suitable place for rest, and the male members of the jury placed in
charge of a male bailiff for a similar purpose. Whenever the jurors are dismissed or separated,
as above stated, the trial judge shall admonish the members thereof that they must not in any
manner discuss the case with anyone, nor permit anyone to discuss it with them, while they are
so dismissed or separated, and that they must discuss and consider the case only in the room
when all members of the jury are present.