State v. Williams

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

LaVECCHIA, J.

This appeal presents the Court with the opportunity to determine whether financial hardship can rise to the level of an “inability to continue” under Rule 1:8 — 2(d) to justify the excusal of a deliberating juror. Because we answer that question in the affirmative, we are called on to address whether the trial court committed plain error by exercising its discretion in this matter to excuse a deliberating juror on that asserted ground. We hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion, and that its actions did not amount to plain…