Love v. Morton ( 1997 )


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  •                                                                                                                            Opinions of the United
    1997 Decisions                                                                                                             States Court of Appeals
    for the Third Circuit
    5-5-1997
    Love v. Morton
    Precedential or Non-Precedential:
    Docket 96-5783
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    Recommended Citation
    "Love v. Morton" (1997). 1997 Decisions. Paper 95.
    http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/thirdcircuit_1997/95
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    Filed May 5, 1997
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
    No. 96-5783
    HAROLD LOVE
    v.
    WILLIS MORTON, Administrator-NJSP;
    PETER VERNIERO,* Attorney General,
    Appellants.
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the District of New Jersey
    (D.C. No. 95-cv-06309)
    Argued: Tuesday, March 25, 1997
    Before: SLOVITER, Chief Judge, STAPLETON and
    ALDISERT, Circuit Judges.
    (Filed May 5, 1997)
    Jack J. Lipari (argued)
    Jeffrey S. Blitz
    OFFICE OF PROSECUTOR OF
    ATLANTIC COUNTY
    1470 19th Avenue
    P.O. Box 2002
    Mays Landing, NJ 08330
    ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANTS
    _________________________________________________________________
    *[Pursuant to Rule 43(c) of F.R.A.P.]
    Stephen M. Latimer (argued)
    LOUGHLIN & LATIMER
    9 Kansas Street
    Hackensack, NJ 07601
    ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE
    OPINION OF THE COURT
    ALDISERT, Circuit Judge
    This appeal by the State of New Jersey from a judgment
    of the district court granting Harold Love's 
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
    petition for writ of habeas corpus requires us to decide
    whether the court properly ruled that Petitioner had been
    placed in former jeopardy prior to his trial and conviction
    for robbery in state court.
    Love defended in two state court trials on charges of
    robbery and armed robbery. At the close of testimony on
    the first day of his first trial, the trial judge declared a
    mistrial for personal reasons. The next day, a second trial
    began before another judge and a second jury. The new
    trial judge denied Love's motion to dismiss the indictment
    on grounds of double jeopardy. Following his conviction
    and sentencing, Love unsuccessfully appealed to the state
    appellate court on the double jeopardy issue. State v. Love,
    
    282 N.J. Super. 590
    , 
    660 A.2d 1246
     (App. Div. 1995) (per
    curiam). Love then filed a habeas corpus petition in district
    court. After conducting an evidentiary hearing, the district
    court ruled that Love's first trial was terminated without his
    consent and without manifest necessity. The court granted
    Love's petition on the basis of double jeopardy. Love v.
    Morton, 
    944 F. Supp. 379
     (D.N.J. 1996). The State of New
    Jersey has appealed.
    At stake here are protections assured by the Double
    Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment, which provides:
    "[N]or shall any person be subject for the same offence to
    be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb . . . ." As the
    Supreme Court teaches:
    2
    The constitutional protection against "double
    jeopardy" was designed to protect an individual from
    being subjected to the hazards of trial and possible
    conviction more than once for an alleged offense. In his
    Commentaries, which greatly influenced the generation
    that adopted the Constitution, Blackstone recorded:
    ". . . the plea of auterfoits acquit, or a former
    acquittal, is grounded on this universal maxim of the
    common law of England, that no man is to be
    brought into jeopardy of his life more than once for
    the same offence."
    Green v. United States, 
    355 U.S. 184
    , 187 (1957) (citing 4
    William Blackstone, Commentaries 335).
    The Double Jeopardy Clause not only ensures the finality
    of criminal judgments, but also protects a defendant's
    "valued right to have his trial completed by a particular
    tribunal." Arizona v. Washington, 
    434 U.S. 497
    , 503 (1978)
    (quoting United States v. Jorn, 
    400 U.S. 470
    , 484 (1971)).
    As urged by New Jersey, however, this "valued right . . .
    must in some instances be subordinated to the public's
    interest in fair trials designed to end in just judgments."
    Wade v. Hunter, 
    336 U.S. 684
    , 689 (1949). Accordingly, the
    Supreme Court has crafted certain exceptions to the literal
    language of the Clause. New Jersey presented two of these
    exceptions to the district court and urges them upon us
    here.
    Mistrials declared with the defendants' consent do not
    bar a later prosecution. United States v. Dinitz, 
    424 U.S. 600
    , 607 (1976). Even without their consent, defendants
    may be retried when, "taking all the circumstances into
    consideration, there is a manifest necessity for the
    [mistrial], or the ends of public justice would otherwise be
    defeated."1 United States v. Perez, 22 U.S. (9 Wheat.) 579,
    _________________________________________________________________
    1. New Jersey relies on "manifest necessity" because the phrase "ends of
    public justice" is not applicable to the facts of this case. See Illinois v.
    Somerville, 
    410 U.S. 458
    , 468-471 (1973) (holding that the ends of public
    justice justify a mistrial where the trial contains a defect such that a
    conviction, if obtained, could be upset at will on appeal or in collateral
    proceedings).
    3
    580 (1824) (Justice Story coining the phrase "manifest
    necessity"). Our task is to decide whether there was
    manifest necessity for declaring the mistrial and whether
    Petitioner expressly or impliedly consented to the mistrial.
    New Jersey also argues that the court erred in conducting
    an evidentiary hearing in the § 2254 proceeding. The
    district court had jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
    . We
    have jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1291
    . The appeal was
    timely filed under Rule 4, Federal Rules of Appellate
    Procedure.
    Where a district court holds an evidentiary hearing in a
    habeas proceeding, this court reviews the district court's
    findings of fact for clear error. Lesko v. Owens, 
    881 F.2d 44
    , 50-51 (3d Cir. 1989). We exercise plenary review over
    the district court's legal conclusions. Yohn v. Love, 
    76 F.3d 508
     (3d Cir. 1996).
    I.
    Love stood trial in the Atlantic County, New Jersey
    Superior Court in two trials before two juries on charges of
    robbery and armed robbery. The first jury was sworn and
    testimony began on the morning of June 15, 1993. During
    the testimony of the State's fourth witness, the jury was
    excused so that counsel could argue an issue relating to
    "chain of custody." Counsel and the trial judge, James
    Citta, repaired to chambers to discuss the matter. At about
    3:30 p.m., the judge received a telephone call from his wife,
    who was exceedingly upset because her mother had died
    unexpectedly. The judge later testified that he was close to
    his mother-in-law and was upset not only at her untimely
    passing, but also at his inability to be immediately available
    to comfort his wife. The prosecuting attorney testified that
    Judge Citta was "very upset" and "visibly shaken." Judge
    Citta called the presiding criminal judge, Judge
    Braithwaite, and briefly discussed the situation.
    The prosecutor has described the events that took place
    in Judge Citta's chambers after the call from the judge's
    wife:
    We waited for him to get off the telephone, and he
    explained to us that, as I indicated, his wife was very
    4
    distraught that her--her mother had died suddenly
    and unexpectedly and she had been unable to reach
    anyone. He further indicated that he was an hour away
    from home and that he had to leave. He had to get out
    of here and go home and so forth, and it was apparent
    there was stress on his face and in his demeanor and
    his voice and so forth that he--there was an urgency to
    his need to leave the courthouse. He said that ``I don't
    know what I'm going to do about this case. I don't
    know if we'll mistry it or not. I'm not sure what the
    procedure should be. I'm going to call Judge
    Braithwaite,['] which is what he did. He phoned Judge
    Braithwaite in our presence. He discussed the situation
    with Judge Braithwaite including the fact of the State's
    witnesses having just arrived from Canada yesterday
    afternoon and then--that there being some wish on the
    part of the State that the case proceed, whether that
    could be effected through the assignment of another
    judge to pick up the case from that point on or to start
    the case anew, whatever; but he discussed the matter
    with Judge Braithwaite; and after he got off the
    telephone, he advised us that he was going to mistry
    the case. Now, needless to say, counsel and I in that
    position were in the situation where we both had an
    interest in the case proceeding from that point on, but
    neither of us was in a situation where we could tell
    Judge Citta ``Forget your wife and forget your mother-
    in-law's death. Let's get on with this trial.' I mean there
    was an urgency and an emergent situation here that
    none of us had previously encountered.
    State v. Love, 
    660 A.2d at 1248-1249
    .
    Judge Citta testified at the evidentiary hearing in the
    district court that he did not remember asking counsel for
    their input or consent to the mistrial:
    I do not recall asking either counsel if they consented
    to a mistrial. I'm not the sort of judge that asked for
    permission or asked for consent. Generally in
    situations like this when I have made a decision--and
    the decision had been made--and my recollection is
    that I informed them that this is what I was going to do
    5
    and to please go in the courtroom and get the jury in
    there as quickly as possible.
    Love v. Morton, 
    944 F. Supp. at
    381 n.3. 7
    After his conversation with Judge Braithwaite, Judge
    Citta notified counsel that he would declare a mistrial, and
    counsel returned to the courtroom. Defense counsel later
    testified that the time between his return to the courtroom
    and the judge's return was "five to ten minutes at the
    most." Judge Citta addressed the jury:
    Ladies and gentleman, I am going to declare a mistrial
    in this case. It has nothing to do with either of the
    litigants, their--the attorneys or the defendant or you.
    I just received a phone call that my mother-in-law
    passed away this afternoon, and I have some things I
    must attend to as a result of that, and I will not be
    available for the rest of this week. Due to the
    scheduling problems--normally what I would do is I
    would continue the case and dismiss you for the
    balance of this week and have you come back next
    week and we would finish it, but due to some
    scheduling problems that obviously could not be
    anticipated and the difficulty that it causes for various
    witnesses in the case, I'm going to declare a mistrial.
    State v. Love, 
    660 A.2d at 1248
    . After declaring the mistrial,
    Judge Citta immediately returned to his chambers. He left
    the courthouse shortly thereafter. The prosecutor gave
    fifteen minutes as a "ballpark estimate" of the time that
    expired between the call from Judge Citta's wife and the
    time Judge Citta left the courtroom.
    At the time Judge Citta declared the mistrial, another
    judge, Judge Alvarez, was available to complete the trial. In
    fact, Judge Alvarez had been a spectator in the courtroom
    during some of the day's proceedings. Nevertheless, Judge
    Braithwaite instructed counsel to return the following
    morning to pick a new jury. Later that afternoon, Judge
    Braithwaite assigned Judge Alvarez to begin a new trial in
    the morning.
    When asked during the district court hearing whether he
    had considered prior to declaring a mistrial that "there
    6
    might be double jeopardy problems," Judge Citta replied:
    "Never crossed my mind, no." Apparently no one else
    involved in this case considered the possibility of double
    jeopardy until defense counsel returned to his office and
    began discussing the case with his colleagues. At that point
    he began to realize the potential implications of the
    mistrial. The following morning, defense counsel asked
    Judge Alvarez to dismiss the charges on double jeopardy
    grounds. Judge Alvarez denied the motion, the trial
    proceeded, and Love was convicted and sentenced to 30
    years.
    Love appealed to the Superior Court Appellate Division,
    arguing that his conviction was invalid because his second
    trial violated double jeopardy principles. State v. Love, 
    660 A.2d at 1247
    . In affirming Love's conviction, the Appellate
    Division emphasized that Love's mistrial was not the result
    of bad faith or improper motive on the part of the trial
    judge or the prosecuting attorney. 
    Id.
     The New Jersey
    Supreme Court denied certification. State v. Love, 
    142 N.J. 572
    , 
    667 A.2d 189
     (1995).
    The district court proceedings followed. After examining
    the record and conducting an evidentiary hearing, the court
    determined that Love's conviction was invalid. The court
    found that the mistrial was not required by manifest
    necessity, and that defense counsel's failure to object did
    not constitute implied consent. The court granted Love's
    petition for habeas relief, but stayed issuance of the writ
    pending the result of this appeal.
    II.
    Before addressing the double jeopardy issue, we will
    consider whether it was proper for the district court to
    conduct an evidentiary hearing. New Jersey suggests that
    an evidentiary hearing was improper in light of the recent
    
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
     amendments included in the
    Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, Pub.
    L. No. 104-132, 
    110 Stat. 1214
     (April 24, 1996). Section
    2254(e)(2) now provides:
    If the applicant has failed to develop the factual basis
    of a claim in State court proceedings, the court shall
    7
    not hold an evidentiary hearing on the claim unless the
    applicant shows that--
    (A) the claim relies on--
    (i) a new rule of constitutional law, made
    retroactive to cases on collateral review by the
    Supreme Court, that was previously unavailable;
    or
    (ii) a factual predicate that could not have been
    previously discovered through the exercise of due
    diligence; and
    (B) the facts of the claim would be sufficient to
    establish by clear and convincing evidence that but
    for constitutional error, no reasonable fact finder
    would have found the applicant guilty of the
    underlying offense.
    
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
    (e)(2).
    Love filed his § 2254 petition on December 5, 1995.
    Congress enacted the amendments on April 24, 1996. As
    we stated in Burkett v. Love, 
    89 F.3d 135
    , 138 (3d Cir.
    1996), "we need not digress to determine the effect of [the
    1996 amendments] on the present action, filed, as it was,
    before the amendments were enacted." See also Boria v.
    Keane, 
    90 F.3d 36
    , 37-38 (2d Cir. 1996) (per curiam)
    (because the death penalty sections contain an explicitly
    retroactive provision and the other sections do not,
    Congress intended the latter to have only prospective
    effect). But see Lindh v. Murphy, 
    96 F.3d 856
     (7th Cir.
    1996) (en banc), cert. granted, 
    117 S. Ct. 726
     (1997).
    Even if we were to give retroactive effect to the 1996
    amendments to § 2254, we would not conclude that the
    district court erred in conducting an evidentiary hearing.2
    Section 2254(e)(2) applies to applicants who "failed to
    _________________________________________________________________
    2. The district court, without discussion, also concluded that an
    evidentiary hearing would be appropriate under the 1996 amendments:
    "Adopting the majority view on retroactivity, the Court need not revisit
    its decision to order an evidentiary hearing beyond noting that the Court
    would have ordered an evidentiary hearing under the new 
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
    (e)(2) as well." 
    944 F. Supp. at
    381 n.1.
    8
    develop the factual basis of a claim in State court
    proceedings." In this case, Love did not "fail" to develop the
    basis of his claim.
    Judge Citta's abrupt declaration of a mistrial made it
    impossible for Love to develop the record at the time of the
    mistrial. Neither defense counsel nor the prosecuting
    attorney was given the time or opportunity to comment on
    the mistrial decision or to suggest that the decision be
    delayed until the next morning. In the words of the
    prosecutor: "I mean there was an urgency and an emergent
    situation here that none of us had previously encountered."
    Following the judge's decision to declare a mistrial, the
    attorneys were ordered to return to the courtroom for the
    sole purpose of the court's notification to the jury that the
    trial was aborted. Under these circumstances, we conclude
    that Love was unable to develop the basis of his claim at
    trial.
    The following morning, Love's counsel moved to dismiss
    the indictment on double jeopardy grounds. Defense
    counsel and the prosecutor gave narrative accounts of the
    events of the previous afternoon and the trial court deemed
    these accounts to be a satisfactory basis for denying the
    motion, thus ending the double jeopardy matter at the trial
    level. Love was unable to fully develop the factual basis of
    his claim at that time because of Judge Citta's
    unavailability. Love had no opportunity at that point to
    inquire, as he later did in the federal hearing, into the
    judge's consideration of the available alternatives to a
    mistrial.
    Similarly, we conclude that Love was unable to develop
    the basis of his claim in state court post-conviction
    proceedings. In New Jersey "an issue may not be
    considered in post-conviction relief proceedings if the
    question was decided on direct appeal." State v. Bontempo,
    
    170 N.J. Super. 220
    , 233, 
    406 A.2d 203
     (1979) (citing State
    v. Johnson, 
    43 N.J. 572
    , 592, 
    206 A.2d 737
     (1965)); see
    N.J. Cr. R. 3:22-5 Bar of Ground Expressly Adjudicated.
    After the Appellate Division affirmed Love's conviction on
    the basis of the limited trial court record, Love could not
    raise the double jeopardy issue and present additional
    evidence in a post-conviction proceeding.
    9
    Under these circumstances we are unwilling to conclude
    that Love failed to develop the factual basis of his claim in
    the state court proceedings. We conclude that factors other
    than the defendant's action prevented a factual record from
    being developed. See Statement by President William J.
    Clinton Upon Signing S. 1965, 32 Weekly Compilation of
    Presidential Documents 719 (April 29, 1996) (#AB AD8E# 2254(e)(2)]
    is not triggered when some factor that is not fairly
    attributable to the applicant prevented evidence from being
    developed in State court."). Although the President's
    statement is not evidence of congressional intent, we refer
    to it because we agree with his interpretation of the plain
    language of § 2254(e)(2), and we find no contrary
    interpretation in the legislative history of the 1996
    amendments to § 2254.
    III.
    Jeopardy attached when the first jury was empaneled
    and sworn. See Crist v. Bretz, 
    437 U.S. 28
    , 35-38 (1978).
    Termination of proceedings after jeopardy attaches, without
    defendant's consent by motion or otherwise, may bar
    reprosecution. United States v. Jorn, 
    400 U.S. 470
     (1971).
    Our jurisprudence does not prohibit retrial following
    termination if a defendant consents or waives the right to
    assert double jeopardy, or when there is manifest necessity
    to terminate the first trial. Oregon v. Kennedy, 
    456 U.S. 667
    , 673 (1982); Arizona v. Washington, 
    434 U.S. 497
    (1978); United States v. Dinitz, 
    424 U.S. 600
     (1976); Illinois
    v. Somerville, 
    410 U.S. 458
     (1973).
    We now consider whether the mistrial was required by
    manifest necessity. To demonstrate manifest necessity, the
    state must show that under the circumstances the trial
    judge "had no alternative to the declaration of a mistrial."
    United States v. McKoy, 
    591 F.2d 218
    , 222 (3d Cir. 1979).
    The trial judge must consider and exhaust all other
    possibilities. 
    Id.
    Love argues that the court failed to exhaust the
    possibilities of (1) excusing the jury overnight so the parties
    could explore the option of continuing the trial with the
    same jury and a different judge; and (2) continuing the trial
    10
    with Judge Alvarez and the same jury the next day, or as
    soon as Judge Alvarez could familiarize herself with the
    trial transcript.
    Love explains that the New Jersey Rules of Court provide
    for the substitution of judges in situations such as this.
    Rule 1:12-3(b) provides that upon the disability of a judge
    during trial:
    another judge may be designated to complete the trial
    as if having presided from its commencement,
    provided, however, that the substituted judge is able to
    become familiar with the proceedings and all of the
    testimony therein through a complete transcript
    thereof.
    Judge Alvarez was available to begin trial the same
    afternoon that Judge Citta declared a mistrial, or the
    following morning. Judge Alvarez could easily have become
    familiar with the transcript because she was present in the
    courtroom during parts of the trial, the transcript consisted
    only of 122 pages and the tape recording covered only three
    hours. The brute fact is that under Rule 1:12-3(b), Judge
    Alvarez could have been designated to complete the trial the
    next morning as easily as starting a second trial.
    The State argues that the district court had rational
    reasons for rejecting the alternatives to mistrial. The State
    suggests that the alternative of excusing the jury overnight
    was properly rejected because the court would not have
    been able to tell the jury how long the trial would be
    delayed. The State also argues that it would have been
    incongruous to substitute a new judge into a case in which
    another judge had made various evidentiary rulings, and
    that it would have been particularly inappropriate to
    substitute Judge Alvarez into a trial "mid-stream" because
    she was new to the bench.
    We are not impressed by these arguments. They do not
    make out a case of manifest necessity. A mistrial is not
    manifestly necessary when the testimony lasts less than
    one full day, and a judge who has observed part of the trial
    is available to resume the proceedings the next morning. As
    a matter of law, declaring a mistrial in this case was not
    manifestly necessary when the decision to declare a mistrial
    11
    vel non could have been postponed to the next morning.
    The delay would have given both the prosecutor and
    defense counsel, as well as the court, adequate time to
    consider alternative solutions to the sudden emergency. All
    judicial decisions should be based on calm deliberation.
    When it comes to decisions squarely implicating the serious
    consequences of the Double Jeopardy Clause, the necessity
    for collected and composed contemplation assumes a
    fortiori proportions. There was no legitimate reason for
    making the mistrial decision during a time of distraught
    distraction. The court could have easily rendered a decision
    the next morning through one of three judicial officers: the
    original trial judge, the presiding criminal court judge or
    the judge who presided at the second trial. At that time, the
    alternatives for aborting the trial or completing it with a
    new judge could have been properly considered.
    IV.
    Having concluded that the mistrial was not manifestly
    necessary, we now consider whether Love's counsel
    consented to the mistrial by failing to raise an objection.
    Mistrials declared with the defendant's consent do not
    bar later prosecution. United States v. Dinitz, 
    424 U.S. 600
    ,
    607 (1976). The courts of appeals have taken different
    approaches in determining whether defense counsel's
    failure to object to a mistrial constitutes implied consent.
    The First, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh and Eleventh Circuits
    have adopted a rule that defendants give implied consent to
    a mistrial if they have an opportunity to object but fail to
    do so. See United States v. DiPietro, 
    936 F.2d 6
    , 9-10 (1st
    Cir. 1991); United States v. Ham, 
    58 F.3d 78
    , 83 (4th Cir.
    1995); United States v. Nichols, 
    977 F.2d 972
    , 974 (5th Cir.
    1992); Camden v. Circuit Court, 
    892 F.2d 610
    , 615 (7th Cir.
    1989); United States v. Puleo, 
    817 F.2d 702
    , 705 (11th Cir.
    1987). At the other extreme, the Sixth and the Ninth
    Circuits refuse to infer consent without some positive
    manifestation of acquiescence by the defense. See, e.g.,
    Glover v. McMackin, 
    950 F.2d 1236
    , 1240 (6th Cir. 1991);
    Weston v. Kernan, 
    50 F.3d 633
    , 637 (9th Cir. 1995).
    Although this court has not decided the issue in
    ipsissimis verbis, the teachings of United States ex. rel.
    12
    Russo v. Superior Court, 
    483 F.2d 7
     (3d Cir. 1973), give
    persuasive direction. Russo involved a mistrial caused by
    jury deadlock. After the jury deliberated for several days
    without reaching a verdict, the judge called the jury to the
    courtroom and declared a mistrial without any advance
    notice to counsel. The defendant was retried and convicted.
    When we received the case on appeal from a grant of
    federal habeas corpus relief, we held that the Double
    Jeopardy Clause prohibited a second trial. On the question
    of implied consent, we said:
    While the better practice may be to object as soon as
    counsel learns that a mistrial is to be granted,
    appellant's counsel was in a difficult situation. He had
    no advance warning or notice that a mistrial was to be
    declared . . . The Supreme Court's conclusion in United
    States v. Jorn may also be applicable in this situation:
    ``. . . [I]ndeed, the trial judge acted so abruptly in
    discharging the jury that, had the prosecutor been
    disposed to suggest a continuance, or the defendant
    to object to the discharge of the jury, there would
    have been no opportunity to do so.'
    Also, to have objected in front of the jury might have
    prejudiced appellant for trying to "show up" the trial
    judge, especially if some members of the jury actually
    wanted to go home despite their civic obligation. In this
    situation, we cannot penalize appellant for failing to
    object sooner.
    
    Id. at 17
     (citations omitted).
    It is clear from our holding in Russo that we will not infer
    consent from defense counsel's silence unless there was
    some opportunity to object. What constitutes adequate
    opportunity, however, is a question which we must decide
    here. Love contends that his counsel did not have a
    meaningful opportunity to object because of the
    "emotionally charged atmosphere of the courtroom."
    Given the constitutional dimension of a double jeopardy
    violation, we must proceed with caution in inferring
    consent from counsel's failure to object. Our previously
    stated admonition reminds us that close cases regarding
    13
    the propriety of a mistrial "should be resolved in favor of
    the liberty of a citizen." Russo, 
    483 F.2d at 17
    .
    Under the circumstances of this case, we conclude that
    Love's counsel did not have a meaningful opportunity to
    object to the trial judge's declaration of a mistrial. First, the
    judge made no inquiry of counsel regarding the propriety of
    a mistrial. He did not invite their comments or ask them to
    propose alternatives. Cf. United States v. Buljubasic, 
    808 F.2d 1260
    , 1265-1266 (7th Cir. 1987) ("If a judge should
    say: ``I think a mistrial would be a good idea, but think this
    over and let me know if you disagree', the defendant's
    silence would be assent.").
    Second, the judge returned to the courtroom to declare a
    mistrial only five or ten minutes after informing counsel of
    his intent to do so. In other circumstances, this window of
    time might be adequate. In this case, however, given the
    suddenness of the mistrial declaration and the hectic
    atmosphere surrounding the proceedings, the brief period
    of time afforded little meaningful opportunity for thoughtful
    and reflective decision-making.
    Third, when the judge declared the mistrial and
    dismissed the jury, he immediately returned to his
    chambers and quickly left the courthouse. The judge's swift
    departure did not afford a reasonable opportunity to raise
    an objection. See United States v. Bates, 
    917 F.2d 388
    , 393
    (9th Cir. 1990) (finding no consent where judge declared a
    mistrial, left the courtroom and ignored defendant's request
    for a sidebar); Lovinger v. Circuit Court, 
    845 F.2d 739
    , 744
    (7th Cir. 1988) ("It appears from the record that the judge
    actually left the courtroom as he finished his statement. He
    was gone before the defense had any reasonable
    opportunity to consider the import of his statement and act
    upon it.").
    Fourth, the atmosphere of the proceedings would have
    made it difficult to object, even if it had occurred to defense
    counsel to do so. We agree with the district court's
    assessment: "although objecting to Judge Citta's mistrial
    declaration could have been accomplished with due care
    and respect, Judge Citta's grief and the urgency of his
    familial obligations made such a feat considerably more
    difficult." 944 F. Supp at 386-387.
    14
    After considering all the circumstances, we conclude that
    Love had no meaningful opportunity to object to the
    declaration of a mistrial. Accordingly, there was no implied
    consent. Because there was no manifest necessity to
    declare the mistrial, and no express or implied consent to
    the mistrial by the defendant, we perceive no exception to
    the Double Jeopardy Clause's requirement that an
    individual may not be subjected "to hazards of trial and
    possible conviction more than once for an alleged offense."
    Green v. United States, 
    355 U.S. 184
    , 187 (1957).
    We have considered all arguments presented by the
    parties and conclude that no further discussion is
    necessary.
    The judgment of the district court will be affirmed.
    A True Copy:
    Teste:
    Clerk of the United States Court of Appeals
    for the Third Circuit
    15