The jury is one of the cornerstones of the American justice system. Though most cases end with a plea deal rather than a trial, these decisions are often made on the basis of what the jury is likely to do. Juries are only allowed to be exposed to certain things during the trial, and the rules around what juries are allowed to see, examine, and ask for are very specific. Your skilled St. Petersburg violent crimes criminal defense attorney can help you to understand what evidence the jury may be allowed to see in your case. This can help you decide together whether or not you should go to trial or accept a plea offer. The rules for what juries can see and hear don\u2019t end when the trial is over. There are specific laws around what juries can have access to during deliberation as well. This case involves just those issues.<\/p>\n
Facts of the Case<\/strong><\/p>\n The defendant here was charged with aggravated battery with great bodily harm upon a woman and her fianc\u00e9. Specifically, the defendant is alleged to have stabbed the woman with a knife that injured the victim badly enough to require stitches. During the trial, the woman who was stabbed testified that the defendant was the person who stabbed her with the knife.<\/p>\n During the jury deliberations, the jury sent a note to the judge. The note asked what the victim\u2019s answer was when she was asked who stabbed her. In response, the court located the transcript of the trial testimony and read that portion back to the jury. The defense objected to the read-back, and argued that the jury should have been told to rely on their memory of the testimony. The trial court overruled the objection of the defense and allowed the court reporter to read back the victim\u2019s response to the question \u201cwho stabbed you?\u201d The jury resumed deliberating and found the defendant guilty of simple battery of the woman and her fianc\u00e9.<\/p>\n