Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

5 W. Va. 380

Vanmeter v. Kitzmiller

West Virginia Supreme Court

Decided July 15, 1872

West Virginia Supreme Court · decided 1872-07-15

This was a trial of the right of property, under a suspending bond, between Ebenezer Kitzmiller and William C. Van-meter, in the circuit court of Mineral county, in 1870. A verdict was found on behalf of Kitzmiller, and a motion was made for a new trial by Vanmeter. It appears that the jury disagreed among themselves as to a statement made by a witness, ten of them insisting on a certain statement and the other two on a different one.

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently July 1986

3 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1872-07-15

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

Moore, J.

¶1The case of Bull vs. The Commonwealth, 14 Gratt., 826, is conclusive of the impropriety of setting aside a verdict and granting a new trial upon the affidavits of jurors. But in this case the affidavit of Hull, who was not a juror, clearly shows misconduct on the part of one of the jurors in approaching said Hull and asking the question he did. The answer given to the repeated question may have influenced the mind of the juror and induced him to have given a different verdict from what he would otherwise have d'one.and it is possible that through that juror the jury was influenced. Be that as it may, if such conduct on the part of a juror, is permitted by the court, it would open wide the gates for designing men to enter and tamper with jurors. The reason is strong against sustaining a verdict in such cases; a different rule would lead to corruption and injustice.

¶2I think the judgment of the court is erroneous, and should be reversed, with costs, the verdict set aside, aad a new trial awarded.

The other judges concurred.

¶3Judgment reversed.

/5/wva/380 · .json · Public domain