Does a trial court violate the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a unanimous jury verdict when the record establishes a reasonable possibility that the judge replaced a deliberating juror because of the juror's views on the merits of the case?

QUESTION PRESENTED FOR REVIEW Over the course of six days of deliberation in Melvin Wofford’s murder case, the jury sent notes revealing that they were deadlocked 11 to 1, one person had doubts about the case, and the holdout was a woman. On the sixth day of deliberation, the parties learned the identity of the holdout juror because she contacted a lawyer to report being harassed by other jurors. She did not discuss the case or her views on the case. Both parties suggested a mistrial. Without talking to this juror, the trial judge dismissed and replaced her with an alternate. The newly constituted jury convicted Mr. Wofford in less than an hour and a half. This petition presents the following question: Does a trial court violate the defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to a unanimous jury verdict when the record establishes a reasonable possibility that the judge replaced a deliberating juror because of the juror’s views on the merits of the case? ii