Tanner v. United States (1986)
- Docket
- 86-177
- Decided
- 1986-01-01
Summary
Question: Was the district court required to hold a second evidentiary hearing to evaluate juror drug and alcohol use during the trial? Conclusion: No. In a 5-4 decision, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote the majority opinion affirming in part and remanding. The Supreme Court held that the district court was right to refuse to admit juror testimony in the evidentiary hearing. There was insufficient non-juror testimony to substantiate the claims of juror misconduct. The Supreme Court remanded the case for further consideration of the conspiracy claims. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote a partial dissent, stating that juror testimony was admissible under Rule 606(b), and allowing the district court to ignore sworn affidavits from jurors violated the Sixth Amendment right to a competent jury. Justices William J. Brennan, Harry A. Blackmun, and John Paul Stevens joined in the dissent