State v. Susan M. Thorstad, 2011AP2854-CR, District 4, 5/31/12 court of appeals decision (1-judge, not publishable); for Thorstad: Charles W. Giesen; case activity Mistrial was granted after the arresting officer, in contravention of pretrial order, testified that this was Thorstad’s second OWI. However, the officer was unaware of the order, because the prosecutor had failed… Read more
C. Retrial after mistrial
Alex Blueford v. Arkansas, USSC No. 10-1320, 5/24/12, affirming 2011 Ark. 8 Double Jeopardy doesn’t bar retrial on greater offenses, despite jury foreperson’s report of unanimous votes against those charges, after ensuing deadlock resulted in mistrial. Blueford’s primary submission is that he cannot be retried for capital and first-degree murder because the jury actually acquitted… Read more
State v. Levi Alexander Rodebaugh, 2011AP2659-CR, District 4, 4/5/12 court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Rodebaugh: Bryon J. Walker; case activity Grant of mistrial was unsupported by “manifest necessity,” hence was an erroneous exercise of discretion, where the complainant failed to show for trial and couldn’t be quickly located. Retrial is therefore barred as… Read more
Docket Decision below: Blueford v. State, 2011 Ark. 8 Question Presented (from cert. pet.): Whether, if a jury deadlocks on a lesser-included offense, the Double Jeopardy Clause bars reprosecution of a greater offense after a jury announces that it has voted against guilt on the greater offense. Cert. Petition SCOTUSblog page Blueford was tried for capital murder… Read more
Renico v. Lett, USSC No. 09-338, 5/3/10 The state court’s conclusion of manifest necessity for mistrial where the foreperson reported inability to reach unanimity wasn’t unreasonable, hence grant of habeas relief is vacated: … (T)rial judges may declare a mistrial “whenever, in their opinion, taking all the circumstances into consideration, there is a manifest necessity”… Read more
court of appeals decision (3-judge; not recommended for publication); for Jackson: Mark S. Rosen; BiC: Resp.; Reply Double Jeopardy – Retrial Following Mistrial Mistrial on defendant’s motion, occasioned by prosecutorial failure to disclose that witness was cooperating with police in separate investigation of Jackson, didn’t bar retrial: there was no showing that the prosecutor was… Read more
State v. Otis G. Mattox, 2006 WI App 110 For Mattox: Scott D. Obernberger Issue: Whether grant of mistrial over objection, after defense counsel was held in contempt for supposedly violating a court order with respect to questioning a witness, was manifestly necessary so as to permit retrial. Holding: ¶19 As noted, the chief concerns of… Read more
State v. Richard A. Moeck, 2005 WI 57, affirming 2004 WI App 47 For Moeck: David D. Cook Issue/Holding1: ¶37 A mistrial is warranted if the mistrial is “manifestly necessary.” The State bears the burden to demonstrate that a “‘manifest necessity’ [exists] for any mistrial ordered over the objection of the defendant.” A “manifest necessity” warranting a… Read more
