ÿWPCv # ´UN¿ %  0(w@;4{ž 0J¦ 0Tð 0^D 0h¢ 0r  0|| 0†ø 0~ 1u 0dƒU>çv~%vÓ£ ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLdÒ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ èéVêVëVìDíDîDïDðUñan~<$3|xñ2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New RomanPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñò ò›Ñ7€\”XXdðdÈ7ÑÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEó óÌà@ àò òAT€JACKSONÌà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌóóÌÌVIRGIL€L.€HITCHCOCK€and€€€€€à àà àà à)à àÌSHIRLEY€R.€HITCHCOCK,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àó óPlaintiffs/Appellants,ò òà àà àà à)à àó óShelby€Circuit€No.€62436€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌALLEN€S.€BOYD,€œJR.,›€M.D.,€JAMES€D.€€€€€€€€à à)à àó óAppeal€No.€€02A01„9705„CV„00107Ìò òACKER,€M.D.,€and€SEMMES„MURPHY€€€€€€€€€€€à à)ÌCLINIC,€INC.,€a€Tennessee€Professionalà àà à)ÌCorporation,€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìó óà àà àDefendants/Appellees.à àò òà à)à àÌó óòòÌóóò òÌ€€€ÌÌÌà@ àó óAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€SHELBY€COUNTY€Ìà@ àAT€MEMPHIS,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€DððARMY€BAILEY,€JUDGE€€€€€€€€ÌòòÌÌÌFor€the€Plaintiffs/Appellantsóó:òòà àà àà àFor€the€Defendants/Appelleesóó:òòÌóóÌAl€H.€Thomas€€€€à àà àà àà àAlbert€C.€Harvey€ÌIra€M.€Thomas€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà àà àJohn€W.€Rodgers€€€ÌMemphis,€Tennesseeà àà àà àà àMemphis,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌò ò€€à àà àà àà àà àà àAFFIRMEDÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àó óHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌòòÌóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.ÌÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.€€€€€€€€€€ÌÇØØÙ  ÙÓÓÑ7€ ƒXXdðXXdð7ÑÑ  Ñà àIn€this€medical€malpractice€case,€the€plaintiff€alleges€that€counsel€for€the€defendantsÏcommitted€misconduct€during€the€trial€and€appeals€the€trial€courtððs€denial€of€the€plaintiffððs€motionÏfor€a€new€trial.€€We€affirm.Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant€Virgil€Hitchcock€(ð ðHitchcockðð)€and€his€wife€filed€suit€againstÏDefendants/Appellees€Allen€S.€Boyd,€M.D.€and€James€D€€Acker,€M.D.€as€well€as€the€Semmes„Murphy€Clinic,€Inc.€(ð ðDefendantsðð),€alleging€that€their€failure€to€diagnose€a€tumor€resulted€inÏinjuries€that€could€have€been€prevented€with€proper€treatment.€€During€the€trial,€HitchcockððsÏattorney€told€the€trial€court€that€a€third€party€had€told€him€that€Defendantsðð€counsel,€Al€HarveyÏ(ð ðHarveyðð),€may€have€gestured€to€his€witnesses€during€cross„examination.€€The€trial€court€toldÏHitchcockððs€attorney€to€call€it€to€the€trial€courtððs€attention€if€it€occurred,€and€Hitchcockððs€attorneyÏagreed€to€do€so.€€Subsequently,€during€the€testimony€of€a€defense€expert,€Hitchcockððs€attorneyÏobjected€to€the€witness€ð ðlooking€to€Mr.€Harvey€for€instruction.ðð€€There€was€a€discussion€aboutÏcounsel€approaching€the€Bench€to€make€that€type€of€objection,€and€the€matter€was€left€at€that.Ìà àAt€the€conclusion€of€the€proof,€each€attorney€made€a€closing€argument.€€During€the€closingÏargument€for€the€defense,€the€Defendantsðð€attorney€argued:ÌÓÓà8 àThis€is€not€simply€a€case€where€œdoctors›€„„€where€we€are€just€dealing€with€money.€ÏThese€doctors,€Dr.€Allen€Boyd€and€Dr.€Jim€Acker,€have€spent€their€œlives€in›€doingÏtheir€profession€and€working€diligently€and€writing€and€studying€and€doing€all€ofÏthose€things€so€that€they€can€treat€their€patients,€and€itððs€important€to€them€that€theyÏnot€be€called€negligent€in€the€way€they€treated€their€patient.ÌÌÓÓDuring€the€trial,€no€objection€was€made€to€the€Defendantsðð€closing€argument.€€After€deliberations,Ïthe€jury€returned€a€verdict€for€the€Defendants.€€Ìà àShortly€after€the€verdict€was€announced,€a€juror,€Ada€Thomas,€contacted€the€trial€court€andÏexpressed€dissatisfaction€with€the€verdict.€€The€œtrial€judge›€told€Ms.€Thomas€that€he€would€meetÏwith€her€the€next€week€in€the€presence€of€counsel€for€both€parties.€€At€the€meeting,€Ms.€ThomasÏsaid€that€other€jurors€had€pressured€her€into€acquiescing€to€the€verdict.€€Ms.€Thomas€also€statedÏthat€she€had€€seen€Mr.€Harvey,€counsel€for€the€Defendants,€making€gestures€to€the€witnessesÏduring€cross„examination.€€After€hearing€Ms.€Thomasðð€comments,€the€trial€court€dismissed€her.€€Ìà àSubsequently,€Hitchcock€filed€a€motion€for€a€new€trial,€or€in€the€alternative,€for€a€mistrial.€ÍHitchcock€cited€attorney€misconduct€by€the€defense€as€well€as€juror€misconduct.€€The€trial€courtÏdenied€this€motion.€€From€the€denial€of€this€motion,€Hitchcock€now€appeals.€€ÌœÇ›à àOn€appeal,€Hitchcock€argues€that€the€motion€for€a€new€trial€should€have€been€granted€basedÏon€€(1)€the€misconduct€of€defense€counsel€during€the€trial€in€signaling€his€witnesses€during€cross„examination;€(2)€improper€statements€by€defense€counsel€during€closing€argument;€and€(3)€jurorÏmisconduct,€evidenced€by€the€statement€of€juror€Ada€Thomas,€which€resulted€in€a€jury€verdictÏbased€on€passion€and€sympathy€rather€than€on€the€merits€of€the€case.€€Ìà àOn€the€appeal€of€the€denial€of€a€motion€for€new€trial,€the€standard€of€review€is€abuse€ofÏdiscretion.€€ð ðA€trial€court€is€given€wide€latitude€in€granting€a€motion€for€new€trial,€and€a€reviewingÏcourt€will€not€overturn€such€a€decision€unless€there€has€been€an€abuse€of€discretion.ððòòò ò€Loeffler€v.ÏKjellgrenó óóó,€884€S.W.2d€463,€468„69€(Tenn.€App.€1994)€(citing€òòò òMize€v.€Skeenó óóó,€63€Tenn.€App.Ï37,€42„43,€468€S.W.2d€733,€736€(1971);€òòò òTennessee€Asphalt€Co.€v.€Purcell€Enter.ó óóó,€631ÏS.W.2d€439,€442€(Tenn.€œApp.€1982)).›€œ›Ìà àWe€first€consider€the€alleged€juror€œmisconduct.€€Juror›€Ada€Thomas€stated€that€the€jury€didÏnot€even€consider€the€exhibits€or€view€the€evidence€when€it€was€sent€to€deliberate.€€She€testifiedÏthat€she€felt€extremely€pressured€to€agree€to€the€verdict,€and€the€time€in€the€jury€room€was€spentÏbrowbeating€her€into€agreement€with€the€othersðð€decision€to€find€for€the€defendants.€€Ìà àA€jury€verdict€may€be€overturned€only€in€limited€circumstances:€(1)€ð ðextraneous€prejudicialÏinformationðð€finding€its€way€into€the€jury€room;€(2)€improper€outside€pressure€on€a€juror;€or€(3)€aÏquotient€or€gambling€verdict.€òòò òState€v.€Blackwelló óóó,€664€S.W.2d€œ686,€688›€(Tenn.€1984);€ò òòòseeÏó óóóTenn.€R.€Evid.€606(b).€€ð ðInternal€influences€that€are€not€grounds€to€overturn€a€verdict€include:€(1)Ïdiscussions€among€jurors,€(2)€intimidation€or€harassment€of€one€juror€by€another,€(3)€a€jurorððsÏpersonal€experiences€not€directly€related€to€the€litigation,€and€(4)€a€jurorððs€subjective€thoughts,Ïfears,€and€emotions.ðð€ò òòòCaldararo€v.€Vanderbilt€Universityóóó ó,€794€S.W.2d€738,€742€(Tenn.ÏApp.€1990).€€Ms.€Thomasðð€statements€described€internal€influences€that€do€not€warrant€a€new€trial.€ÏThe€trial€court€is€affirmed€on€this€issue.Ìà àHitchcock€next€argues€that€the€trial€court€should€have€granted€his€motion€for€new€trial€orÏmistrial€because€of€alleged€misconduct€by€counsel€for€the€Defendants€during€testimony€andÍargument.€€Hitchcock€alleges€that€Mr.€Harvey,€the€Defendantsðð€attorney,€improperly€coachedÏwitnesses€during€cross„examination€by€using€head€and€hand€signals.€€ÌœÇÑ Ð Ñ›à àDuring€the€trial,€Hitchcockððs€attorney€told€the€trial€court€that€Mr.€Harvey€may€have€signaledÏwitnesses,€and€asked€Mr.€Harvey€ð ðnot€to€indulge€in€that.ðð€€Hitchcockððs€attorney€later€objected€to€aÏwitness€allegedly€ð ðlooking€toðð€Mr.€Harvey€for€instruction.€€At€no€time€did€Hitchcockððs€attorneyÏrequest€a€mistrial,€a€special€instruction€from€the€court,€or€any€other€relief.€€The€trial€court€did€notÏrule€on€the€objection.€€In€his€motion€for€new€trial,€Hitchcock€submitted€two€affidavits,€one€from€aÏjuror€and€one€from€an€alternate€juror,€in€support€of€œthe›€allegation€of€misconduct€by€Mr.€Harvey.€€Ìà àAttorney€misconduct€which€could€influence€the€outcome€of€a€trial€is€grounds€for€mistrial,€orÏa€new€trial.€òòò òSee€Guess€v.€Mauryó óóó,€726€S.W.2d€906€(Tenn.€App.€1986).€€However,€appellateÏcourts€will€not€ð ðinterfere€with€œthis›€discretion€of€the€trial€courtðð€in€this€matter€without€a€finding€thatÏthis€conduct€affected€the€outcome€of€the€trial.€ò òòòId.€óóó óat€913€(citingòòò ò€J.€Avery€Bryan,€Inc.€v.ÏHubbardó óóó,€225€S.W.2d€282,€287,€32€Tenn.€App.€œ648,€658›€(1949)).€€There€is€no€indication€in€theÏrecord€that€any€alleged€attorney€misconduct€affected€the€outcome€of€the€trial.€€Moreover,€during€theÏtrial,€Hitchcock€did€not€ask€for€any€relief€that€was€not€given.€€Hitchcock€did€not€request€a€mistrial,Ïa€curative€jury€instruction,€or€any€other€relief.€€The€trial€court€is€affirmed€on€this€issue.€Ìà àFinally,€Hitchcock€argues€that,€during€closing€argument,€Mr.€Harvey€made€an€improperÏappeal€to€the€emotions€of€the€jury.€€Hitchcock€notes€that€the€lawsuit€was€medical€malpractice,€notÏdefamation,€and€argues€that€raising€the€issue€of€the€defendant€doctorsðð€reputations€was€irrelevantÏand€€an€improper€appeal€to€the€jurorsðð€emotions.ÌÓÓà àHowever,€ÓÓHitchcockððs€counsel€did€not€object€to€the€statement€when€it€was€made,€nor€didÏhe€request€a€curative€instruction€or€a€œmistrial€at€that€time.›€€ð ðAn€objection€to€the€remarks€or€conductÏof€counsel€must€be€made€at€the€trial€and€a€ruling€had€thereon,€or€they€will€not€be€considered€œon›Ïappeal.ðð€€ò òòòLee€v.€Leeó óóó,€719€S.W.2d€295,€299€(Tenn.€App.€œ1986)›€œ(citing›€ò òòòMorgan€v.€Duffyó óóó,€94ÏTenn.€686,€30€S.W.2d€735€œ(1895)).›€€Therefore,€this€Court€cannot€consider€this€issue€on€appeal.Ìœ›à àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€Costs€are€taxed€against€the€Appellants,€forÏwhich€execution€may€issue,€if€necessary.€ÌÓÓœ›à àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àò òóóHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.Ìó óà àò òÌCONCUR:Ìœ›Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.€J.,€W.S.ÌœÌó óòò›€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìóóò òDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ó ó