Garcia v. People

Today, we must decide whether a trial judge may dismiss a juror after the jury has commenced deliberations and without a record to support findings that the juror is biased or prejudiced. Because of the core importance of jury deliberations and because our review of the record does not disclose any inquiry by the trial judge into the foreperson’s allegations that the juror was unwilling to follow the instructions given to all jurors, we conclude that the juror was im*2properly dismissed. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the court of appeals in People v. Garcia, 964 P.2d 619…