Riggs v. State

BOEHM, Justice.

The removal of a juror after deliberations have begun requires a record establishing that the deliberations of the other jurors were not prejudiced by the removal and that cause existed for removal without depriving the defendant of his right to a jury trial. In this case a juror was removed without establishing the need to do so, and without taking precautions to prevent the rest of the jury from being improperly influenced. We remand this case for a new trial.

Factual and Procedural Background

In 1985, fifteen-year-old TP. was an eighth grader attending school in Indianapolis.…