How have the courts treated the jury in a jury trial?

Throughout the trial, the court went to great lengths to be fair to defendant and ensure he received a fair trial. At least twice, the court instructed the jury not to "take anything" the court said or did "as any indication of what I think about the facts, the witnesses, or what your verdict should be." The court also told the jury: "I've been a lot more interactive in this trial than usual, and I just want to make sure you understand that I'm trying to make sure both sides get a fair trial and the procedures are followed and evidence is trustworthy and reliable that you receive." Absent a showing to the contrary, we presume the jury followed the court's instructions. (People v. Simon (2016) 1 Cal.5th 98, 130.) There is no indication that the jury did not follow these instructions, or understand its duty to fairly and impartially decide the case.

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