State v. Newsome

Weltner, Justice.

Thomas James Newsome was charged with two counts of child molestation, was found guilty by a jury, and was sentenced to a term of years. As the jury retired, the trial court, over objection, allowed the alternate juror to accompany the jury to the jury room to be present during deliberations. The trial court instructed the alternate that he could not participate in the jury’s deliberations, in fact could not speak, until and unless he was instructed by the court to the contrary. Newsome appealed his convictions contending the presence of the alternate juror during the jury’s…