courtroom.jpg VII. IMPORTANT TRIAL CONSIDERATIONS PRESENTED BY: JUDGE MARK A. SPEISER courtroom.jpg I. ROLE OF JUDGE –CONTROL MEDIA •COURTROOM PRESENCE •ACCESS TO WITNESSES, JURORS AND JUDGE •“GAG ORDERS” –MAINTAIN ORDER IN COURTROOM REMEMBER: RESPECT IS EARNED NOT BESTOWED –CONTEMPT: POWER OF COURT –PROJECT IMAGE OF IMPARTIALITY –SEQUESTRATION OF WITNESSES –CHANGE OF VENUE MOTION DUE TO PRETRIAL PUBLICITY – – header_bench.jpg courtroom.jpg –EXCLUDE PUBLIC FROM COURTROOM DURING TESTIMONY BY CHILD VICTIM OF SEXUAL OFFENSE –RULE ON ADMISSIBILITY OF EXHIBITS INTO EVIDENCE –DETERMINE WHETHER WITNESS QUALIFIES TO TESTIFY AS AN EXPERT WITNESS –RESOLVE UNIQUE EVIDENTIARY ISSUES –RULE ON OBJECTIONS TO TESTIMONIAL EVIDENCE –JUDGE MUST REFRAIN FROM: •FACIAL REACTIONS, •BODY LANGUAGE, •VERBAL COMMENTARY, • CONCERNING AN ATTONEY’S STATEMENTS, WITNESS TESTIMONY OR AN EXHIBIT INTRODUCED INTO EVIDENCE THAT COULD BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMENT OR OPINION BY • THE COURT ON AN ISSUE IN • THE CASE – – – Evidence-for-use-of-rimonabant.jpg courtroom.jpg –INSURE JURY COMFORT AND THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH COURT DIRECTIVES –RULE ON OBJECTIONS TO JURY CHALLENGES –RULE ON JUROR NOTETAKING AND JURORS QUESTIONING OF WITNESSES –PREVENT MISBEHAVIOR BY ATTORNEYS OR DEFENDANT •EXCLUDING DEFENDANT • FROM TRIAL DUE TO DISRPUTVE COURTROOM BEHAVIOR IS PERMISSIBLE DESPITE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT UNDER 6TH AMMENDMENT TO BE PRESENT AT TRIAL AND CONFRONT THE WITNESSES TESTIFYING AGAINST THE DEFENDANT – courtroom.jpg –RULE ON REQUESTS FOR JURY VIEW OF CRIME SCENE –DETERMINE WHETHER CASE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO JURY FOR DECISION •RULE ON MOTION FOR DIRECTED VERDICT OF ACQUITTAL – courtroom.jpg –DETERMINE LAW TO BE FURNISHED TO JURY, THAT IS, THE “ JURY INSTRUCTIONS” –RULE ON DEFENDANT’S CUSTODY STATUS IF CONVICTED –REVIEW PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION REPORT AND PRONOUNCE SENTENCE – – courtroom.jpg –RULE ON POST-TRIAL MOTIONS –INSURE COURT REPORTER RECORDS ENTIRE PROCEEDING TO DEVELOP AN ACCURATE RECORD FOR APPEAL –ARRANGE FOR TRANSLATOR, IF NEEDED courtroom.jpg •II. JURY ISSUES –DEFENDANT HAS 6TH AMENDMENT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL IF DEFENDANT FACES POSSIBILITY OF A SENTENCE MORE THAN 6 MONTHS •SERIOUS V. PETTY CRIME –DEFENDANT CAN WAIVE RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL IF DONE INTELLIGENTLY AND KNOWINGLY; PROSECUTOR MUST ALSO CONSENT TO WAIVER OF TRIAL BY JURY IF THE JURY TRIAL WAIVER IS INITIATED BY DEFENDANT courtroom.jpg –JUROR ELIGIBILITY •U.S. CITIZEN •COUNTY RESIDENT •AGE 18-70 •NOT A CONVICTED FELON •NOT A SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER –SOURCE OF JURY POOL •VOTER REGISTRY •TAXPAYER ROLL •DRIVERS LICENSE LIST courtroom.jpg –SIZE OF JURY PANEL •FEDERAL-12 •STATE OF FLORIDA –DEATH PENALTY -12 –ALL OTHER CRIMES-6 »FLORIDA IS 1 OF 2 STATES » ALLOWING 6 INSTEAD OF 12 » JURORS TO DECIDE A CRIMINAL CASE WHERE A LIFE SENTENCE CAN BE IMPOSED IF DEFENDANT IS CONVICTED •ALTERNATE JURORS –ROLE AND NUMBER •USE OF JUROR QUESTIONAIRES IN CAPITAL OR COMPLEX TRIALS •VOIR DIRE –FEDERAL –STATE Jury Panel 3.jpg courtroom.jpg –FOCUS OF JUROR INTERVIEWS •UNCOVER BIAS OR PREJUDICE •IDENTIFY PRECONCEIVED IDEAS •ASCERTAIN FAMILIARITY WITH: –CASE –WITNESSES –DEFENDANT –ATTORNEYS –JUDGE –ABILITY TO BE FAIR –CAPABILITY TO REACH A VERDICT –LEARN JUROR’S PERSONAL BACKGROUND Jury.JPG courtroom.jpg –STRIKING ENTIRE JURY PANEL –JUROR CHALLENGES •CHALLENGES FOR CAUSE –UNLIMITED NUMBER •PEREMPTORY CHALLENGES –10- DEATH PENALTY OR LIFE IN PRISON –6- ALL OTHER FELONIES –3- MISDEMEANORS –1- FOR EVERY TWO ALTERNATE JURORS BEING SEATED • courtroom.jpg –STATE AND DEFENSE ALWAYS ALLOWED EQUAL NUMBER OF JUROR CHALLENGES –DISCRIMINATION IN JUROR STRIKING BASED UPON RACE, GENDER, ETHNICITY OR RELIGION ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED BASED UPON EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF CONSTITUTION •DEFENDANT HAS STANDING EVEN IF NOT A MEMBER OF EXCLUDED CLASS • courtroom.jpg –MANNER OF STRIKING JURORS •CONDUCTED OUTSIDE OF EARSHOT OF JURORS •MAYBE ORAL OR WRITTEN •DEFENDANT HAS TO APPROVE THEIR COUNSEL’S JUROR CHALLENGES –SWEARING IN THE JURY PANEL – courtroom.jpg –DOUBLE JEOPARDY CLAUSE OF 5TH AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION ATTACHES ONCE JURY IMPANELED AND SWORN IN •DEFENDANT CAN NOT BE TRIED TWICE FOR SAME OFFENSE •REPROSECUTION AFTER ACQUITAL PROHIBITED •REPROSECUTION AFTER MISTRIAL ONLY IF BASED UPON DEFENDANT’S CONSENT OR MISCONDUCT; A HUNG JURY; OR ILLNESS DURING TRIAL OF JUDGE, JUROR OR DEFENDANT courtroom.jpg –JUROR MISCONDUCT •RECEIVING, ACCESSING OR SOLICITING INFORMATION OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM •MISREPRESENTATIONS OR OMMISSIONS DURING JURY SELECTION •SLEEPING JUROR •JUROR HOSTILITY DURING DELIBERATIONS Jury.gif courtroom.jpg –JUROR SEQUESTRATION –JUROR VERDICTS •UNANIMOUS •HUNG JURY (JUROR DEADLOCK) •GUILTY AS CHARGED •GUILTY OF LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSE •NOT GUILTY •NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY –JUROR DISCHARGE courtroom.jpg •THE END