California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from The People v. Velderrain, G041703, No. FCH05843 (Cal. App. 2010):
"[W]hen a criminal defendant moves for a new trial based on allegations of jury misconduct, the trial court has discretion to conduct an evidentiary hearing to determine the truth of the allegations. We stress, however, that the defendant is not entitled to such a hearing as a matter of right. Rather, such a hearing should be held only when the trial court, in its discretion, concludes an evidentiary hearing is necessary to resolve material, disputed issues of fact." (People v. Hedgecock (1990) 51 Cal.3d 395, 415.) "'We review a trial court's ruling on a motion for a new trial under a deferential abuse-of-discretion standard.' [Citations.] '"A trial court's ruling on a motion for new trial is so completely within that court's discretion that a reviewing court will not disturb the ruling absent a manifest and unmistakable abuse of that discretion."' [Citations.]" (People v. Thompson (2010) 49 Cal.4th 79, 140.) Such an abuse is not present here.
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