State v. Clary
State v. Clary
Opinion of the Court
The sole point presented in this case is as to whether the jury was kept free from contact with the public and from improper influences, the case being capital.
The circumstances of the crime were of a nature to arouse strong public sentiment against the two accused. They had gone to their homes and armed themselves, one with a rifle and the other with a shotgun, and sought out the decedent, and set upon him unawares, and, while one of them was beating him on the head with the rifle, the other had shot him dead. The reputation of the accused having been already not of the best, considerable public excitement attended the trial, which lasted from the morning of Tuesday, July 14th, to some time during the day of Tuesday, July 21st; and, as we gather, the courthouse was crowded during its progress.
While it .was going on, a stranger stood near the jury and had conversed with one of the jurors before his presence was discovered. The jury were marched several times to and from the hotel and to and from the picture shows along the more or less crowded sidewalks, with no precaution taken against their contact with the public, except their being accompanied by two officers. At their meals at the hotel they seem to have been allowed to converse freely with the waitresses; and the situation was such that conversation at the other tables, even in an ordinary tone of voice, could easily be heard by them. Packages and valises with no, or
The verdict and sentence are therefore set aside, and the case is remanded for trial according to law.
070rehearing
On Rehearing.
The defendants were indicted for murder and convicted of manslaughter.
Counsel for the defendants admitted in his argument on rehearing that the jury was composed of intelligent and high-minded men, and that there was no separation of the jury.
The facts stated in the second paragraph of our original opinion in this case show that the verdict of manslaughter was favorable to the accused.
The third paragraph of the opinion states in general terms the defendants’ numerous objections to the conduct of the jury and the bailiffs who had them in charge.
In State v. Oteri, 128 La. 939, 55 South. 582, Ann. Cas. 1912C, 878, this court held that a verdict and sentence would not be reversed because the court permitted the jury to attend a theatrical exhibition in charge of a bailiff, where the facts affirmatively established the absence of misconduct and prejudice.
The judge a quo in his per curiam carefully reviewed the evidence and found that the irregularities complained of in the motion for a new trial worked no injury or prejudice to the defendants.
The verdict of manslaughter tends to support the conclusion that the jury was not swayed by the alleged hostile public sentiment against the accused.
' There was no separation of the jury, and'
“On the other hand, as a general rule, a new trial will not be granted where it clearly appears that the defendant has not been injured or prejudiced by the misconduct.”
In State v. Garig, 43 La. Ann. 371, 8 South. 936, the court said:
“It is not every irregularity that will vitiate a verdict; it .must appear to have resulted injuriously.”
See, also, State v. Wiggins, 45 La. Ann. 416, 12 South. 630.
In the instant case we concur in the opinion of the trial judge that none of the acts of the jurors, and none of the communications made to them, had a tendency to influence their verdict.
The verdict of the jury is the best answer to that argument.
The case of State v. Warren, 43 La. Ann. 828, 9 South. 559, cited in our original opinion, was one where eight of the jury were allowed to remain in the jury room, with no deputy in charge. The court said:
“They were accessible; misconduct is presumed.”
In State v. Moss, 47 La. Ann. 1514, 18 South. 507, cited in the same opinion “there was at least one well-defined separation <5f the jury,” to quote the language of the court. In State v. Craighead, 114 La. 84, 38 South. 28, also cited, five jurors who had been accepted and sworn were locked up with seven jurors unaccepted and unsworn.
It is therefore ordered that our former decree herein be vacated, and it is now ordered that the verdict and sentence below be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE v. CLARY
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by the Oourt.) 1. Criminal Law A verdict and sentence for manslaughter will not be reversed, where the court permitted the jury to attend a moving picture show in charge of the sheriff and several deputies, where the facts affirmatively show the absence of misconduct and prejudice. In a murder case, where the jury did not separate, a new trial will not be granted where it clearly appears that the defendant has not been enjoined or prejudiced by alleged irregularities or misconduct on the part of the jury. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 3170-3178; Dec. Dig. 2. Homicide In a murder case, where, on the admitted facts, the defendants might have been convicted as charged, and the jury found them guilty of manslaughter, the verdict tends to show that the jury was not influenced by alleged hostile public sentiment against the defendants. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Homicide, Cent. Dig. § 722; Dec. Dig. 3. Criminal Law Where alleged misconduct of the jury is known to defendants or their counsel, objection should be urged before verdict. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see' Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. § 2070; Dee. Dig