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Dr Samuel Sheppard — Part 2
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No. 16077
closes a situation, totally different from the facts of the
present case, There the trial court refused to consider
Specific affidavits by Jurors establishing highly prejudicial
: |Sheppard v. Maxwell.
such examination. Neglect of this opportunity to prove
actual prejudice might itself be reason enough to deny
relief in the absence of any present showing of actual
prejudice, compare United States v. Gersh, 328 F(2) 460
(CA 2, 1964), cert. denied sub nom. Mugnola v. United
States, 377 U.S. 992 (1964). Going beyond this possibility,
it is worthy of note that even on direct review of federal}
convictions where improper communications have been had;
with a juror, “it is well settled that what is prejudicial to!
a fair trial when the issue of ‘juror misconduct’ is raised,
1s a matter that must, to a large extent, be left to the;
discretion of a trial court and that an appellate court will
not reverse the determination of that court on such an
issue unless it is established as clearly erroneous.” Little
v. United States, 331 F(2) 287, 295 (CA 8, 1964), cert, .
2, 1963), cert, denied, 375 US. 835, 836 (1963) ;
Steiner v. United States, 229 F(2) 745, 748-49 (CA
9, 1956), cert. denied, 351 U.S. 953, 100 L. Ed. 1476
(1956); Ryan vy, United States, 191 F(2) 779 (CA.
D.C. 1951), cert, denied, 342 U.S, 928, 96 L. Ed. 691
(1952) ; Cavness v. United States, 187 F(2) 719, 723 (CA
9, 1951), cert. denied, 841 U.S. 951, 95 L. Ed. 1374 (1951).
The showing that communications were had with the jurors,
accordingly, is not of itself enough to demonstrate a denial]
, of due process. So in Near y. Cunningham, 313 F(2) 929,
(hab prejudicial statements were made in the presence
ring of the jurors,” the habeas corpus court must
reach its-constitutional decision “in the light of all of the
surrounding circumstances.” Here there is no pretense at
showing that prejudicial statements were made to the
jurors by their children or Spouses. The presumption that
the jurors remained true to their instructions is fortified
Kahaner, 317 F(2) 459, 482-83 (GA -
No. 16077 Sheppard v. Maxwell 45
by petitioner’s neglect of his opportunity to show that the
jurors chose. this particular opportunit; among many to
violate their instructions. In view of the absence of any
attempt to demonstrate or even claim such violations here,
we are satisfied that the Ohio Supreme Court correctly
disposed of this issue, and that in any event the occurrence
does not present a denial of constitutional due process,
he Supreme Court’s recent decision in Turner Vv.
Louisiana, 379 U.S. 466 (1965) does not affect decision
of this question, The Court was there dealing with
2 conviction following three days’ “continuous and inti-
mate association” between the jury and two keys wit-
nesses for the prosecution, who were also deputy sheriffs.
Dispensing with the requirement that improper communi-
cations be shown in such a situation cannot be related to
the present situation, where we are shown only that some
members of the jury made brief telephone calls to members
of their families with whom they had, quite properly, been
in continuous association throughout the trial,
5) Other questions.
of justice.’ Without further discussion, we are unable to
attribute to a combination of these several claims a con-
stitutional potency they lack individually. We have re-
jected the claims based on publicity, alleged bias of the
trial judge, and communications with the jurors because
no showing has been made that anything improper in fact
occurred; we are no more willing to presume infirmity
when these claims and the matter of the lie detector eyj-
dence are listed together than when they are considered
Separately.
Petitioner’s brief to this court suggests that if we find
granting the writ “such action would require a remand for
further factual determination of the remaining points.”
Counsel urges, in the alternative, that we pass upon these
remaining points not relied on by the District J udge, and as
to them petitioner “will stand upon the argument addressed
to them in the Brief for Petitioner in the District Court,”
Without passing upon the procedural propriety of these
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