📄 Jury instruction: sequestration — Thursday, June 29, 1995
📅 Jun 29 — Day 106
jury
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUN\29\JURY-INSTRUCTION-SEQUESTRATION.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 106 of 167

Jury instruction: sequestration

Date: Thursday, June 29, 1995 • Utterances: 3
Judge Ito addresses the jury before recess, returning books he had previously confiscated from a couple of jurors after concerns were raised about their content. He determined the book was clearly fiction and posed no risk to the proceedings, apologizing for the inconvenience before delivering standard sequestration admonitions.
1 (The following proceedings were held in open Court:)
2 THE COURT:

Mr. Deedrick, if you could step down, you are ordered to return tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. All right. Ladies and gentlemen, before I let you go and give you the standard admonitions, one other different matter. Earlier this week it was brought to my attention that there was a certain book that a couple of you were reading and some concerns were expressed to me about the contents of that book which is why I asked the bailiffs to collect them in an abundance of caution. But I have thought about it and that book is clearly a work of fiction. You promised me that you will decide this case based solely upon the evidence that was presented here in Court and only upon using the law as I instruct you. And I will return these books to you. I apologize to you for the inconvenience, but I hate to have this case have something happen for reasons that have nothing to do with the facts and the evidence. I'm sure you understand and I'm sure you will follow my instructions to reach a verdict on this case solely on the facts, the law and the evidence. All right. Remember all my other admonitions to you, however. Don't discuss this case among yourselves, don't form any opinions about the case, don't allow anybody to communicate with you, don't conduct any deliberations until the matter has been submitted to you. See you tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. As far as the jury is concerned, we will stand in recess, and we will reconvene in fifteen minutes.

3 (Recess.)

Temperature

routine

Key Quotes (2)

Lance A. Ito
that book is clearly a work of fiction. You promised me that you will decide this case based solely upon the evidence that was presented here in Court
Ito frames the book seizure and return around the jury's promise of impartiality, reinforcing the standard without prolonging the incident
Lance A. Ito
I hate to have this case have something happen for reasons that have nothing to do with the facts and the evidence
Reveals Ito's underlying anxiety about procedural missteps that could jeopardize the verdict on appeal

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 6611 • 3 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
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📂 JUN 29, 1995 📄 Jury instruction: sequestratio
JUN 29, 1995 KRT DvH TD