DocketNumber: No. CV95 032 41 89 S
Citation Numbers: 1996 Conn. Super. Ct. 2680
Judges: MORAN, JUDGE.
Filed Date: 3/20/1996
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 4/18/2021
On December 27, 1994, the petitioner, Danarius Dukes, was convicted of attempted murder, assault in the first degree, and attempted robbery following a jury trial in the Bridgeport Superior Court. He filed this petition for a new trial on June 22, 1995, pursuant to Practice Book § 904 and General Statutes §
"The standard that governs the granting of a petition for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence is well established. The petitioner must demonstrate, by a preponderance of the evidence, that: (1) the proffered evidence is newly discovered, such that it could not have been discovered earlier by the exercise of due diligence; (2) it would be material on a new trial; (3) it is not merely cumulative; and (4) it is likely to produce a different result in a new trial." Asherman v. State,
"Juror misconduct which results in substantial prejudice to the defendant is not to be tolerated." State v. Asherman,
At the hearing, the petitioner testified that during the voir dire stage of his trial, he told his defense counsel about the circumstances surrounding juror Ramos, including the fact that Ramos owed him money. The petitioner claims that his attorney nevertheless chose to empanel juror Ramos and that petitioner did not continue to object to juror Ramos because he felt that his attorney knew what was best for him. The petitioner's mother offered testimony which appeared to corroborate the petitioner's testimony. However, petitioner's mother also testified that she was not sitting at the defense table with her son and her son's attorney, so that she could not hear much of what was said between the two. At the hearing, petitioner's defense counsel testified that he does not believe he was told that juror Ramos owed the CT Page 2682 petitioner money. Petitioner's defense counsel also produced the petitioner's former file and testified that he made no notes on the voir dire sheet respecting juror Ramos, whether positive or negative. According to petitioner's counsel, he regularly records all relevant information made known to him about a juror in a client's file, including comments or opinions of the client concerning a particular juror. Petitioner's counsel testified that the absence of any notes concerning juror Ramos probably indicates that the petitioner did not mention to him any relationship or acquaintance with juror Ramos.
Sufficient evidence was presented to show that juror Ramos took part in inappropriate conduct during the trial, although he was not present at the hearing. The other juror with whom Ramos spoke, Crawford, testified that during one lunch break, Ramos discussed the petitioner's choice of friends in a somewhat negative tone, indicating that petitioner was hanging around with the wrong crowd. Crawford also testified that Ramos had a discussion with the petitioner's brother as the three men rode the elevator up to the courtroom one day. Crawford testified that he did not respond to Ramos when Ramos spoke about the petitioner, and that he did not ask any questions of, or solicit any information from, Ramos. Crawford also testified that he was able to, and did in fact, follow the judge's instructions to reach a verdict based only on the evidence heard in the courtroom.
Although the evidence presented at the hearing demonstrates that some degree of inappropriate juror conduct occurred, the court finds that it was not sufficiently harmful to have deprived the petitioner of a fair trial. See State v. Asherman, supra,
The court also finds that the conversation between Ramos and Crawford did not amount to significant or harmful juror misconduct. First, any effect on Crawford was the fruit of a tainted communication made by a juror of whose circumstances the petitioner was aware and could have challenged. Second, Crawford followed the court's instructions, did not respond to Ramos's remarks, and did not himself solicit information from Ramos. Thus, CT Page 2683 the petitioner has not sufficiently demonstrated that the alleged conduct "would be material on a new trial"; Asherman v. State, supra,
The petitioner presented no evidence at the hearing to support this contention, opting to rely solely on the argument presented in his brief. The argument presented in petitioner's brief does not persuade the court that "reasonable cause" exists for the granting of a new trial based on the unreliable testimony of a previous co-defendant. The court finds that the petitioner had an adequate opportunity to cross-examine this witness at trial and to bring the relevant facts and circumstances bearing on his credibility to the attention of the jury at that time.
Thus, having failed to adduce any evidence at trial to support the proposition that this evidence was discovered after trial or that he was deprived of the opportunity to cross-examine the witness to bring any credibility issues to the attention of the jury, the court finds that the petitioner is not entitled to a new trial based on the allegedly unreliable testimony of witness Reese.
For the above stated reasons, the petitioner Danarius Dukes's petition for a new trial is denied.
JOHN W. MORAN, JUDGE CT Page 2684