Title: Ex parte Roger Dixon. PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS (In re: Roger Dixon v. State of Alabama)

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL: 06/30/2010 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r 
o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1071564 
Ex p a r t e Roger Dixon 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
( I n r e : 
Roger Dixon 
v. 
S t a t e o f 
Alabama) 
(Escambia 
C i r c u i t Court, CC-06-82) 
Court o f C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-06-1916) 
MURDOCK, 
J u s t i c e . 
1071564 
R o g e r 
D i x o n was 
c o n v i c t e d o f a t t e m p t e d 
m u r d e r a n d o f 
d i s c h a r g i n g a f i r e a r m i n t o an o c c u p i e d v e h i c l e .
1 
D i x o n 
f i l e d 
a 
m o t i o n 
f o r a new 
t r i a l 
a l l e g i n g , 
among 
o t h e r 
t h i n g s , 
( 1 ) t h a t s e v e r a l j u r o r s 
f a i l e d t o t r u t h f u l l y a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s 
d u r i n g 
v o i r 
d i r e , 
and ( 2 ) t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t i m p r o p e r l y 
r e s t r i c t e d D i x o n ' s c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i o n 
o f a p r o s e c u t i o n 
w i t n e s s . 
D i x o n ' s m o t i o n f o r 
a new t r i a l was d e n i e d a f t e r an e v i d e n t i a r y 
h e a r i n g . 
The C o u r t 
o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
a f f i r m e d 
D i x o n ' s 
c o n v i c t i o n s and s e n t e n c e s b y an u n p u b l i s h e d memorandum, 
f r o m 
w h i c h J u d g e W e l c h d i s s e n t e d , w i t h an o p i n i o n . 
D i x o n v . S t a t e , 
[No. CR-06-1916, J u n e 27, 2008] 
So. 3d 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
2 0 0 8 ) ( W e l c h , J . , d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
D i x o n 
f i l e d 
a 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r a 
w r i t 
o f 
c e r t i o r a r i 
c o n t e n d i n g , among o t h e r t h i n g s , t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e C o u r t 
o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s c o n f l i c t s w i t h Ex p a r t e Dobyne, 805 So. 2d 
763 
( A l a . 2 0 0 1 ) , and T o m l i n 
v. S t a t e , 
695 So. 2d 157 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 1 9 9 6 ) , r e g a r d i n g D i x o n ' s c l a i m s t h a t s e v e r a l j u r o r s 
1 D i x o n was s e n t e n c e d t o 20 y e a r s ' i m p r i s o n m e n t 
on t h e 
a t t e m p t e d - m u r d e r c h a r g e ; t h a t 
s e n t e n c e was 
s p l i t , and D i x o n 
was o r d e r e d 
t o s e r v e 5 y e a r s i n p r i s o n , 
f o l l o w e d by 5 y e a r s ' 
s u p e r v i s e d p r o b a t i o n . On t h e d i s c h a r g i n g - a - f i r e a r m c h a r g e , he 
was s e n t e n c e d t o 10 y e a r s ' i m p r i s o n m e n t , 
w h i c h 
s e n t e n c e was 
a l s o 
s p l i t , 
and he was o r d e r e d t o s e r v e 3 y e a r s i n p r i s o n 
f o l l o w e d b y 5 y e a r s ' s u p e r v i s e d p r o b a t i o n . The two s e n t e n c e s 
were t o be s e r v e d 
c o n c u r r e n t l y . 
2 
1071564 
f a i l e d 
t o t r u t h f u l l y a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s d u r i n g v o i r 
d i r e . 
We 
r e v e r s e and remand. 
I n 
l i g h t 
o f o u r 
d i s p o s i t i o n o f 
D i x o n ' s 
a r g u m e n t 
r e g a r d i n g t h e 
v o i r 
d i r e 
o f one 
o f t h e 
j u r o r s , 
we 
p r e t e r m i t c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f D i x o n ' s o t h e r 
c l a i m s . 
I . 
F a c t s 
I n 
l i g h t o f t h e n a t u r e o f t h e d i s p o s i t i v e 
i s s u e , o n l y a 
b r i e f summary o f t h e s u b s t a n t i v e f a c t s i s n e c e s s a r y . 
B e t w e e n 
J u n e 2004 and May 
2005, D i x o n had r e p e a t e d a l t e r c a t i o n s 
w i t h 
D a v i d J a c k s o n c o n c e r n i n g D i x o n ' s 
r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h 
J a c k s o n ' s 
e s t r a n g e d 
w i f e . 
D u r i n g t h e 
e a r l y m o r n i n g h o u r s 
o f May 
14, 
2005, 
D i x o n 
e n c o u n t e r e d 
J a c k s o n 
and 
B r a d 
C a r e y 
a t 
a 
c o n v e n i e n c e 
s t o r e . 
A t 
t r i a l , 
D i x o n 
t e s t i f i e d 
and 
d i s p u t e d 
t h e 
S t a t e ' s 
v e r s i o n o f t h e f a c t s r e g a r d i n g h i s e n c o u n t e r w i t h J a c k s o n 
and 
C a r e y . 
A c c o r d i n g t o J a c k s o n , D i x o n t h r e a t e n e d t o 
k i l l 
h i m , 
f i r e d 
s e v e r a l g u n s h o t s , one o f w h i c h 
s t r u c k C a r e y ' s 
v e h i c l e , 
and 
t h e n c h a s e d 
C a r e y 
and 
J a c k s o n i n h i s v e h i c l e 
a t a h i g h 
r a t e 
o f 
s p e e d 
when 
t h e y 
l e f t 
t h e 
c o n v e n i e n c e 
s t o r e . 
I n 
c o n t r a s t , D i x o n 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t he 
f i r e d h i s gun 
i n t o t h e a i r 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
e n c o u n t e r 
b e c a u s e 
he 
was 
a f r a i d 
o f 
J a c k s o n 
and 
3 
1071564 
C a r e y and t h a t he d i d n o t f o l l o w J a c k s o n and C a r e y when t h e y 
l e f t t h e c o n v e n i e n c e 
s t o r e . 
As t o t h e d i s p o s i t i v e 
i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e , D i x o n 
c o n t e n d s 
t h a t 
L.A., 
who 
s e r v e d as 
a j u r o r 
a t h i s 
t r i a l , 
f a i l e d 
t o 
r e s p o n d 
c o r r e c t l y 
t o 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
q u e s t i o n a s k e d 
d u r i n g 
v o i r 
d i r e o f t h e 
v e n i r e : 
"Have you o r a member o f y o u r i m m e d i a t e 
f a m i l y 
e v e r b e e n a c r i m i n a l d e f e n d a n t i n a c r i m i n a l c a s e i n 
e i t h e r 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
c o u r t 
o r t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
i n 
t h i s c o u n t y where 
[ t h e d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y o r any 
o f 
h i s 
a s s i s t a n t s ] p r o s e c u t e d t h e c a s e ? " 
L.A. 
d i d n o t r e s p o n d t o t h i s q u e s t i o n ; h o w e v e r , 
c r i m i n a l 
c h a r g e s were p e n d i n g a g a i n s t h e r a t t h e t i m e o f D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l . 
A b o u t two months b e f o r e D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l , 
L.A. 
h a d b e e n t w i c e 
c h a r g e d by 
f a m i l y members w i t h a m i s d e m e a n o r .
2 
The 
c h a r g e s 
h a d b e e n s e r v e d on L.A., 
and she h a d p o s t e d an a p p e a r a n c e b o n d 
i n e a c h c a s e . 
A b o u t a week b e f o r e D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l , L.A.'s c a s e 
h a d b e e n c o n t i n u e d by t h e t r i a l c o u r t . 
A t t h e t i m e o f D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l , 
L.A. 
p e r s o n a l l y 
was 
e n g a g e d 
i n 
d i s c u s s i n g 
t h e 
d i s p o s i t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
c h a r g e s 
w i t h 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y . 
2 T h e 
c h a r g e 
i n 
e a c h 
c a s e 
was 
m a k i n g 
a 
h a r a s s i n g 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n , 
i n v i o l a t i o n o f A l a . Code 1975, § 
1 3 A - 1 1 - 8 ( b ) . 
The 
c h a r g e s were 
f i l e d 
by L . A . ' s 
t e e n a g e 
d a u g h t e r 
and 
h e r 
f o r m e r h u s b a n d and r e l a t e d t o a f a m i l y 
d i s p u t e . 
4 
1071564 
S h o r t l y 
a f t e r 
D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l , 
L.A.'s 
c a s e 
was 
p l a c e d i n 
p r e t r i a l 
d i v e r s i o n s t a t u s . 
A t t h e h e a r i n g on D i x o n ' s m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t h e a r d t e s t i m o n y f r o m L.A. and f r o m D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l 
c o u n s e l . 
The t r i a l c o u r t d i d 
n o t 
make any w r i t t e n f i n d i n g s o f 
f a c t as t o t h e c l a i m r e g a r d i n g L.A.'s f a i l u r e t o d i s c l o s e t h e 
p e n d i n g c r i m i n a l c h a r g e s i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e q u e s t i o n p o s e d on 
v o i r d i r e and d i d 
n o t i n d i c a t e on t h e r e c o r d t h e b a s i s f o r i t s 
d e c i s i o n d e n y i n g D i x o n ' s m o t i o n f o r 
a new t r i a l . 
Comments b y 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t a t t h e h e a r i n g 
s u g g e s t 
t h a t i t t h o u g h t t h e 
q u e s t i o n a s k e d d u r i n g v o i r 
d i r e was a m b i g u o u s . 
I I . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
I n Ex p a r t e Dobyne, 805 So. 2d a t 772, t h i s C o u r t s t a t e d : 
" [ T ] h e 
p r o p e r 
s t a n d a r d 
t o 
a p p l y 
i n 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
w h e t h e r a p a r t y i s e n t i t l e d t o a new 
t r i a l i n t h i s 
c i r c u m s t a n c e 
[ w h e r e 
a 
j u r o r 
f a i l s 
t o 
r e s p o n d 
c o r r e c t l y t o a q u e s t i o n on v o i r 
d i r e ] i s ' w h e t h e r 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
m i g h t 
h a v e 
b e e n 
p r e j u d i c e d 
by a 
v e n i r e m e m b e r ' s 
f a i l u r e t o make a p r o p e r 
r e s p o n s e . ' 
Ex 
p a r t e 
S t e w a r t , 
659 So. 2d [122] a t 124 
[ ( A l a . 
1 9 9 3 ) ] . 
F u r t h e r , 
t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
o f w h e t h e r 
a 
p a r t y 
m i g h t 
h a v e 
b e e n 
p r e j u d i c e d , 
i . e . , w h e t h e r 
t h e r e was p r o b a b l e p r e j u d i c e , i s 
a m a t t e r w i t h i n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d i s c r e t i o n . " 
I d . 
See a l s o R e y n o l d s v . C i t y o f B i r m i n g h a m , 723 So. 2d 822, 
824 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 1998) ("'[T]he 
r u l i n g o f t h e t r i a l 
j u d g e 
5 
1071564 
d e n y i n g a m o t i o n f o r new 
t r i a l 
w i l l 
n o t be d i s t u r b e d i n t h e 
a b s e n c e o f a s h o w i n g 
o f a b u s e o f d i s c r e t i o n , and 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
w i l l 
i n d u l g e e v e r y p r e s u m p t i o n i n f a v o r o f t h e c o r r e c t n e s s 
o f 
h i s 
r u l i n g . ' " 
( q u o t i n g 
H o l t 
v. 
S t a t e , 
348 
So. 
2d 
87 0 
, 
875 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 
1 9 7 7 ) ) ) . 
I I I . 
A n a l y s i s 
D i x o n c o n t e n d s 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s h o u l d have g r a n t e d 
h i s 
m o t i o n 
f o r a new 
t r i a l 
b e c a u s e L.A., 
who 
s e r v e d 
on 
t h e 
j u r y 
t h a t 
c o n v i c t e d 
h i m , 
f a i l e d 
t o 
r e s p o n d 
t o 
t h e 
a b o v e -
r e f e r e n c e d 
q u e s t i o n 
d u r i n g 
v o i r 
d i r e . 
As 
n o t e d , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i d n o t make any 
w r i t t e n f i n d i n g s o f f a c t as t o 
t h i s 
i s s u e and d i d n o t 
i n d i c a t e on t h e r e c o r d 
t h e b a s i s 
f o r i t s 
d e c i s i o n 
t o d e n y D i x o n ' s m o t i o n 
f o r a new 
t r i a l , 
w h i c h 
was 
g r o u n d e d , 
i n 
p a r t , 
on 
L.A.'s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
r e s p o n d 
t o 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n . 
I n 
a f f i r m i n g 
D i x o n ' s 
c o n v i c t i o n , 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s c o n c l u d e d t h a t L.A.'s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
d i s c l o s e 
i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e c r i m i n a l c h a r g e s p e n d i n g a g a i n s t h e r was 
i n a d v e r t e n t , 
r a t h e r t h a n w i l l f u l . 
T h a t c o u r t a l s o d e t e r m i n e d 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
was 
no 
p r e j u d i c e 
t o D i x o n by L.A.'s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
r e s p o n d b e c a u s e she l a t e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e f a c t t h a t c h a r g e s 
were p e n d i n g 
a g a i n s t 
h e r 
d i d n o t 
a f f e c t h e r 
v e r d i c t . 
We 
6 
1071564 
g r a n t e d 
c e r t i o r a r i t o r e v i e w 
D i x o n ' s c l a i m t h a t t h e 
d e c i s i o n 
o f 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
c o n f l i c t s 
w i t h Dobyne 
and 
T o m l i n . 
I n Dobyne, t h i s C o u r t e x p l a i n e d t h e s t a n d a r d 
f o r g r a n t i n g 
a new 
t r i a l b a s e d on a j u r o r ' s f a i l u r e t o a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s 
on 
v o i r 
d i r e 
t r u t h f u l l y : 
"The 
p r o p e r 
s t a n d a r d 
f o r 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
w h e t h e r 
j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t w a r r a n t s a new 
t r i a l , as s e t o u t 
by 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
p r e c e d e n t , 
i s w h e t h e r 
t h e 
m i s c o n d u c t 
m i g h t have p r e j u d i c e d , 
n o t w h e t h e r i t a c t u a l l y 
d i d 
p r e j u d i c e , 
t h e d e f e n d a n t . See 
Ex p a r t e 
S t e w a r t , 
659 
So. 
2d 
122 
( A l a . 1993) 
.... 
The 
' m i g h t - h a v e - b e e n -
p r e j u d i c e d ' 
s t a n d a r d , 
o f 
c o u r s e , 
c a s t s 
a 
' l i g h t e r ' 
b u r d e n 
on 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
t h a n 
t h e 
a c t u a l - p r e j u d i c e 
s t a n d a r d . 
See 
T o m l i n v. 
S t a t e , 
s u p r a , 
695 
So. 
2d 
a t 
170. 
... 
" I t 
i s 
t r u e 
t h a t 
t h e 
p a r t i e s 
i n 
a 
c a s e 
a r e 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
t r u e 
and 
h o n e s t 
a n s w e r s 
t o 
t h e i r 
q u e s t i o n s 
on 
v o i r 
d i r e , 
so 
t h a t 
t h e y may 
e x e r c i s e 
t h e i r p e r e m p t o r y s t r i k e s 
w i s e l y . 
... 
However, 
n o t 
e v e r y 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
r e s p o n d 
p r o p e r l y 
t o 
q u e s t i o n s 
p r o p o u n d e d d u r i n g 
v o i r 
d i r e 
' a u t o m a t i c a l l y 
e n t i t l e s 
[ t h e d e f e n d a n t ] 
t o 
a new 
t r i a l 
o r 
r e v e r s a l o f 
t h e 
c a u s e 
on 
a p p e a l . ' 
Freeman 
v. 
H a l l , 
28 6 A l a . 
161, 
166, 
238 
So. 
2d 
330, 
335 
(1970) 
.... 
As 
s t a t e d 
p r e v i o u s l y , 
t h e 
p r o p e r 
s t a n d a r d 
t o 
a p p l y 
i n 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
w h e t h e r 
a p a r t y 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
a 
new 
t r i a l i n t h i s c i r c u m s t a n c e 
i s ' w h e t h e r t h e d e f e n d a n t 
m i g h t 
have 
b e e n 
p r e j u d i c e d 
by 
a 
v e n i r e m e m b e r ' s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
make 
a 
p r o p e r 
r e s p o n s e . ' 
Ex 
p a r t e 
S t e w a r t , 
659 
So. 
2d 
a t 
124. 
F u r t h e r , 
t h e 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
o f 
w h e t h e r 
a 
p a r t y 
m i g h t h a v e 
b e e n 
p r e j u d i c e d , 
i . e . , 
w h e t h e r 
t h e r e 
was 
p r o b a b l e 
p r e j u d i c e , 
i s 
a 
m a t t e r 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d i s c r e t i o n . 
... 
7 
1071564 
"'The 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
o f w h e t h e r t h e 
c o m p l a i n i n g 
p a r t y 
was 
p r e j u d i c e d 
by a 
j u r o r ' s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
a n s w e r 
v o i r 
d i r e 
q u e s t i o n s i s 
a m a t t e r w i t h i n t h e 
d i s c r e t i o n 
o f t h e t r i a l c o u r t a n d w i l l n o t 
be r e v e r s e d 
u n l e s s t h e c o u r t h a s a b u s e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n . 
Some o f t h e f a c t o r s 
t h a t 
t h i s 
C o u r t h a s 
a p p r o v e d f o r u s i n g 
t o d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r 
t h e r e 
was 
p r o b a b l e 
p r e j u d i c e 
i n c l u d e : 
" t e m p o r a l r e m o t e n e s s o f t h e 
m a t t e r i n q u i r e d 
a b o u t , 
t h e 
a m b i g u i t y 
o f 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n 
p r o p o u n d e d , 
t h e 
p r o s p e c t i v e 
j u r o r ' s 
i n a d v e r t e n c e 
o r w i l l f u l n e s s i n f a l s i f y i n g 
o r 
f a i l i n g t o a n s w e r , t h e f a i l u r e o f t h e 
j u r o r t o r e c o l l e c t , a n d t h e m a t e r i a l i t y 
o f 
t h e m a t t e r i n q u i r e d a b o u t . " ' 
" U n i o n M o r t g a g e Co. 
1342-43 
[ ( A l a . 
1 9 9 4 ) ] . . . . 
v. B a r l o w , 595 So. 2d [ 1 3 3 5 ] a t 
"The 
f o r m o f p r e j u d i c e 
t h a t 
w o u l d 
e n t i t l e 
a 
p a r t y 
t o 
r e l i e f 
f o r a 
j u r o r ' s 
n o n d i s c l o s u r e 
o r 
f a l s i f i c a t i o n i n v o i r 
d i r e w o u l d be i t s e f f e c t , i f 
any, t o c a u s e t h e p a r t y t o f o r g o 
c h a l l e n g i n g t h e 
j u r o r f o r 
c a u s e o r e x e r c i s i n g a p e r e m p t o r y 
c h a l l e n g e 
t o 
s t r i k e t h e j u r o r . Ex p a r t e 
L e d b e t t e r , 404 So. 2d 
731 
( A l a . 1981) .... 
I f 
t h e p a r t y e s t a b l i s h e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u r o r ' s 
d i s c l o s u r e 
o f t h e t r u t h 
w o u l d 
h a v e 
c a u s e d t h e p a r t y e i t h e r t o ( s u c c e s s f u l l y ) 
c h a l l e n g e  
t h e 
j u r o r f o r c a u s e o r t o e x e r c i s e 
a 
p e r e m p t o r y  
c h a l l e n g e 
t o s t r i k e t h e j u r o r , t h e n t h e p a r t y h a s  
made a p r i m a 
f a c i e s h o w i n g o f p r e j u d i c e . I d . Such  
p r e j u d i c e c a n 
be e s t a b l i s h e d b y t h e o b v i o u s t e n d e n c y  
o f 
t h e 
t r u e 
f a c t s 
t o 
b i a s 
t h e 
j u r o r , 
as i n 
L e d b e t t e r , 
s u p r a , 
o r b y d i r e c t t e s t i m o n y 
o f 
t r i a l  
c o u n s e l 
t h a t t h e t r u e 
f a c t s w o u l d have p r o m p t e d a  
c h a l l e n g e 
a g a i n s t t h e j u r o r , as i n S t a t e v. F r e e m a n , 
605 So. 2d 1258 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 9 2 ) . " 
Dobyne, 805 So. 2d a t 771-73 
( f o o t n o t e 
o m i t t e d ; 
e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
8 
1071564 
I n 
T o m l i n , 
a c a s e 
c i t e d 
w i t h 
a p p r o v a l 
i n Dobyne, 
t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s d i s c u s s e d i n d e t a i l t h e a p p l i c a t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
m i g h t - h a v e - b e e n - p r e j u d i c e d 
s t a n d a r d 
t o 
a 
j u r o r ' s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
a n s w e r 
c o r r e c t l y 
q u e s t i o n s 
p o s e d 
on 
v o i r 
d i r e 
c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e j u r o r ' s t i e s t o l a w e n f o r c e m e n t and t h e j u r o r ' s 
e x p e r i e n c e 
as a v i c t i m o f a c r i m e . 
T h a t c o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
"'We 
s t a r t w i t h t h e b a s i c c o n s t i t u t i o n a l p r e m i s e 
t h a t e v e r y 
p e r s o n 
i s e n t i t l e d 
t o an 
i m p a r t i a l j u r y 
[ p u r s u a n t 
t o 
t h e 
S i x t h Amendment 
t o 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n ] . ' 
K n i g h t 
v. 
S t a t e , 675 
So. 
2d 
487 , 
4 
93-94 
( A l a . 
C r . 
App. 
1 
995) 
.... 
' I t 
i s 
f u n d a m e n t a l t o o u r s y s t e m o f i m p a r t i a l j u s t i c e 
t h a t 
" ' [ p ] a r t i e s h a v e a r i g h t t o h a v e q u e s t i o n s 
a n s w e r e d 
t r u t h f u l l y 
by 
p r o s p e c t i v e 
j u r o r s t o e n a b l e them 
t o 
e x e r c i s e t h e i r d i s c r e t i o n w i s e l y i n e x e r c i s i n g t h e i r 
p e r e m p t o r y s t r i k e s . ' " ' 
S t a t e v. F r e e m a n , 605 
So. 
2d 
1258, 
1259 
( A l a . C r . 
App. 
1 
992) 
( q u o t i n g 
Ex 
p a r t e 
 
O ' L e a r y , 438 
So. 
2d 1372, 
1373 
( A l a . 1 9 8 3 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
i n 
t u r n Ex p a r t e O ' L e a r y , 417 
So. 
2d 232, 
240 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 2 ) ) . 
' V o i r 
d i r e ' 
i s 
an 
a n c i e n t 
p h r a s e 
w h i c h 
l i t e r a l l y means 
' t o s p e a k t h e 
t r u t h . ' 
W. 
L a F a v e 
& 
J . 
I s r a e l , 
C r i m i n a l 
P r o c e d u r e 
§ 2 2 . 3 ( a ) 
(2d. 
e d . 
1 9 9 2 ) . 
'"Where t h e 
p a r t y 
has 
e x a m i n e d 
t h e 
j u r o r s 
c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e i r 
q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , 
and 
t h e y 
do 
n o t 
a n s w e r t r u l y , 
i t i s m a n i f e s t 
t h a t he 
i s d e p r i v e d 
o f 
h i s 
r i g h t 
o f 
c h a l l e n g e 
f o r c a u s e , 
and 
i s 
d e c e i v e d 
i n t o f o r e g o i n g h i s r i g h t o f p e r e m p t o r y 
c h a l l e n g e . " ' 
Ex p a r t e L e d b e t t e r , 
404 
So. 
2d 731, 
733 
( A l a . 
1981) 
( q u o t i n g L e a c h v. S t a t e , 31 A l a . App. 
390, 
18 So. 
2d 
285, 
c e r t . 
d e n i e d , 
245 
A l a . 
539, 
18 
So. 
2d 
289 
( 1 9 4 4 ) ) . 
' F a i l u r e t o 
e n f o r c e 
t h e 
r i g h t 
t o 
e l i c i t 
f r o m p r o s p e c t i v e j u r o r s t r u t h f u l a n s w e r s t o m a t e r i a l 
q u e s t i o n s 
r e n d e r s 
h o l l o w 
t h e 
r i g h t 
o f 
p e r e m p t o r y 
c h a l l e n g e . ' 
K n i g h t 
v. 
S t a t e , 
675 
So. 
2d 
a t 
494 
( q u o t i n g 
M i t c h e l l 
v. 
S t a t e , 
458 
So. 
2d 
819, 
821 
( F l a . 
D i s t . 
C t . App. 
1 9 8 4 ) ) . 
9 
1071564 
" I n 
a d d r e s s i n g t h e i s s u e w h e t h e r a d e f e n d a n t 
was 
d e p r i v e d o f t h e r i g h t t o e x e r c i s e p e r e m p t o r y 
s t r i k e s 
b a s e d on 
t r u t h f u l 
a n s w e r s 
f r o m p r o s p e c t i v e 
j u r o r s , 
t h e 
A l a b a m a Supreme C o u r t 
r e c e n t l y 
r e i t e r a t e d 
t h e 
t e s t 
t o be 
' w h e t h e r 
t h e d e f e n d a n t m i g h t have b e e n 
p r e j u d i c e d 
by 
a v e n i r e m e m b e r ' s 
f a i l u r e 
t o make 
a 
p r o p e r r e s p o n s e . ' 
Ex p a r t e S t e w a r t , 659 So. 2d 
122, 
124 
( A l a . 1993) 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . T h i s t e s t c a s t s a 
' l i g h t b u r d e n ' on t h e d e f e n d a n t . 
... " 
T o m l i n , 695 So. 2d a t 169-70. 
In 
t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e x c e e d e d 
i t s d i s c r e t i o n 
i n d e n y i n g D i x o n ' s m o t i o n f o r a 
new 
t r i a l 
b a s e d 
on L.A.'s 
f a i l u r e 
t o d i s c l o s e 
i n r e s p o n s e 
t o a 
q u e s t i o n 
on 
v o i r 
d i r e 
t h a t 
c r i m i n a l 
c h a r g e s 
were 
p e n d i n g 
a g a i n s t h e r . 
An 
a n a l y s i s o f t h e Dobyne f a c t o r s r e v e a l s 
t h a t 
most o f t h o s e f a c t o r s 
i n d i c a t e 
t h a t D i x o n was 
p r e j u d i c e d 
by 
L.A.'s f a i l u r e t o r e s p o n d . 
The 
m a t t e r 
was 
n o t 
t e m p o r a l l y r e m o t e 
-- 
t h e 
c r i m i n a l 
c h a r g e s h a d b e e n 
f i l e d 
l e s s 
t h a n two months b e f o r e 
D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l and t h e y were 
s t i l l u n d e r p e n d i n g a t t h e t i m e o f D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l . 
As 
t o 
t h e 
a m b i g u i t y 
o f 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n p r o p o u n d e d , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n was 
s u f f i c i e n t l y 
d e f i n i t e 
t o 
r e q u i r e an a f f i r m a t i v e r e s p o n s e f r o m L.A. 
A t t h e 
e v i d e n t i a r y 
h e a r i n g on D i x o n ' s m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l , L.A. 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
10 
1071564 
h e r 
u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e q u e s t i o n 
was s u c h 
t h a t i t d i d 
n o t 
r e q u i r e an a f f i r m a t i v e a n s w e r , b u t t h e r e c o r d 
s i m p l y does n o t 
p r o v i d e 
a d e q u a t e 
s u p p o r t f o r t h i s 
a s s e r t i o n . 
L.A. d i d 
n o t 
o f f e r a s i n g l e r e a s o n she w o u l d u n d e r s t a n d t h e q u e s t i o n t o 
n o t 
r e q u i r e 
an 
a f f i r m a t i v e 
r e s p o n s e ; 
i n s t e a d , 
she 
o f f e r e d 
a 
s h i f t i n g 
s e r i e s o f e x p l a n a t i o n s 
f o r h e r f a i l u r e t o r e s p o n d 
a f f i r m a t i v e l y t o t h e q u e s t i o n , 
i n c l u d i n g (1) t h a t she h a d n o t 
b e e n a r r e s t e d , b u t h a d m e r e l y b e e n " s e r v e d 
p a p e r s , " (2) t h a t 
she 
was n o t aware 
t h a t 
t h e c h a r g e s were 
c r i m i n a l 
c h a r g e s 
b e c a u s e t h e y r e l a t e d t o a f a m i l y d i s p u t e , 
(3) t h a t t h e m a t t e r 
" w a s n ' t t r o u b l e w i t h t h e l a w , i t was a f a m i l y member," and (4) 
t h a t she knew t h a t t h e c h a r g e s were g o i n g t o be d r o p p e d .
3 
We 
f i n d 
t h e s e 
" h a i r s p l i t t i n g " 
e x p l a n a t i o n s 
t o 
be 
w h o l l y 
i n a d e q u a t e , e s p e c i a l l y i n l i g h t o f L.A.'s t e s t i m o n y t h a t she 
h e r s e l f h a d b e e n n e g o t i a t i n g w i t h t h e d i s t r i c t a t t o r n e y 
a b o u t 
t h e d i s p o s i t i o n o f t h o s e p e n d i n g c h a r g e s b e f o r e 
D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l 
and 
t h a t she was aware t h a t h e r c a s e h a d b e e n 
c o n t i n u e d 
on 
A p r i l 
3, 2007, 
a p p r o x i m a t e l y one week b e f o r e 
t h e s t a r t o f 
3 A l t h o u g h t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t made no e x p r e s s f i n d i n g on t h i s 
f a c t o r , i t 
i n d i c a t e d a t t h e h e a r i n g 
t h a t t h e q u e s t i o n 
a p p l i e d 
o n l y t o c a s e s 
t h a t h a d b e e n " p r o s e c u t e d , " n o t t o s i t u a t i o n s 
where t h e v e n i r e m e m b e r was 
" j u s t c h a r g e d 
w i t h an 
o f f e n s e . " 
L.A. 
d i d 
n o t make t h a t d i s t i n c t i o n i n any o f h e r 
e x p l a n a t i o n s 
f o r 
n o t r e s p o n d i n g t o t h e q u e s t i o n . 
11 
1071564 
D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l . 
A t a minimum, t h e q u e s t i o n was f r a m e d so as t o 
r e q u i r e L.A. 
t o m e n t i o n 
t h e c h a r g e s .
4 
E v e n i f t h e q u e s t i o n was a m b i g u o u s , h o w e v e r , t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y 
c o u l d h a v e a v o i d e d 
t h e n e e d f o r a new 
t r i a l 
had 
he 
d i s c l o s e d t h e f a c t o f t h e p e n d i n g c h a r g e s when L.A. 
f a i l e d t o 
r e s p o n d a f f i r m a t i v e l y t o t h e q u e s t i o n . 
The 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y 
h i m s e l f was 
n e g o t i a t i n g t h e d i s p o s i t i o n o f L.A.'s c a s e s , 
and 
t h e p r o s e c u t o r 
i n t h i s c a s e has n e v e r d e n i e d k n o w l e d g e o f t h e 
p e n d i n g c h a r g e s a g a i n s t L.A. 
A l t h o u g h v a r i o u s A l a b a m a 
c o u r t s 
h a v e h e l d t h a t t h e S t a t e d o e s n o t have a g e n e r a l o b l i g a t i o n t o 
4We 
n o t e t h a t o t h e r v e n i r e m e m b e r s a p p e a r e d t o e r r i n t h e 
d i r e c t i o n 
o f 
t r e a t i n g 
v a r i o u s 
v o i r 
d i r e q u e s t i o n s 
as 
o v e r -
i n c l u s i v e 
and 
o f 
d i s c l o s i n g 
r e m o t e 
e v e n t s 
o r r e l a t i o n s h i p s 
t h a t were a r g u a b l y r e s p o n s i v e t o t h e q u e s t i o n . 
I n r e s p o n s e t o 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n 
a t 
i s s u e , 
one 
v e n i r e m e m b e r 
d i s c l o s e d 
a 
p r o s e c u t i o n 
o f 
a 
r e l a t i v e 
( n o t a member 
o f 
h e r 
i m m e d i a t e 
f a m i l y ) . 
L i k e w i s e , s e v e r a l j u r o r s r e s p o n d e d b r o a d l y t o a s e t 
o f 
more 
g e n e r a l 
q u e s t i o n s 
a b o u t 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y ' s 
o f f i c e ' s 
h a n d l i n g 
o f 
b a d - c h e c k 
c a s e s 
and 
c h i l d - s u p p o r t 
c o l l e c t i o n . 
L.A. 
c o u l d 
n o t h a v e h e a r d 
t h o s e r e s p o n s e s 
and 
h o n e s t l y 
b e l i e v e d 
t h a t 
h e r 
c r a m p e d 
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n p o s e d was l e g i t i m a t e . 
We 
a l s o n o t e t h a t L.A. 
d i d n o t r e s p o n d t o t h e f o l l o w i n g 
q u e s t i o n , 
w h i c h 
w o u l d 
seem 
t o 
r e q u i r e 
d i s c l o s u r e 
o f 
t h e 
p e n d i n g 
c h a r g e s 
and 
L.A.'s 
o n g o i n g 
n e g o t i a t i o n s 
w i t h 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y ' s 
o f f i c e : 
"Now 
do any o f you know any r e a s o n why 
i f you 
were s e l e c t e d as a j u r o r i n t h i s c a s e t h a t you 
c o u l d 
n o t g i v e b o t h t h e d e f e n d a n t and t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a 
a 
f a i r and i m p a r t i a l t r i a l ? " 
12 
1071564 
d i s c l o s e i n f o r m a t i o n 
on v e n i r e m e m b e r s ,
5 f a i r n e s s d i c t a t e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
S t a t e c a n n o t s t a n d mute when a j u r o r 
f a i l s t o r e s p o n d ( o r 
r e s p o n d s 
i n c o r r e c t l y ) 
t o a q u e s t i o n 
on 
v o i r 
d i r e 
and t h e 
p r o s e c u t o r i s aware o f t h e t r u e 
f a c t s . 
I n 
W r i g h t v . 
S t a t e , 
678 So. 2d 1216 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 9 6 ) , t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
r e v e r s e d a 
c o n v i c t i o n 
b e c a u s e one o f t h e j u r o r s 
f a i l e d t o d i s c l o s e a c l o s e 
f a m i l y 
r e l a t i o n s h i p 
w i t h 
a s t a f f member i n t h e d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y ' s 
o f f i c e , who was p r e s e n t i n t h e c o u r t r o o m . 
The c o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
"We 
m i g h t 
h a v e 
f o u n d 
[ t h e j u r o r ' s ] 
s i l e n c e 
h a r m l e s s 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
a p p e l l a n t 
s u f f e r e d 
no 
p r e j u d i c e 
... were i t n o t f o r t h e s i l e n c e o f [ t h e 
s t a f f member]. 
... 
[W]e 
f i n d 
t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f 
p r o b a b l e 
p r e j u d i c e 
e x i s t e d 
where b o t h a member o f 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t a t t o r n e y ' s s t a f f , who was s e a t e d a t t h e 
p r o s e c u t i o n ' s 
t a b l e 
and who 
p a r t i c i p a t e d 
i n 
j u r y 
s e l e c t i o n , 
and 
a 
j u r o r 
f a i l e d 
t o 
d i s c l o s e 
i n f o r m a t i o n 
i n q u i r e d a b o u t d u r i n g v o i r d i r e 
r e l e v a n t 
t o 
t h e 
d e f e n s e 
i n 
e x e r c i s i n g 
i t s 
p e r e m p t o r y 
s t r i k e s . " 
678 So. 2d a t 1220. 
See a l s o T o m l i n , 695 So. 2d a t 176 
( j u r o r 
f a i l e d t o d i s c l o s e p e n d i n g d r u g - p o s s e s s i o n c h a r g e ; t h e r e was 
no i n d i c a t i o n 
t h a t 
p r o s e c u t o r s knew o f t h e p e n d i n g 
c r i m i n a l 
5 S e e , e . g . , McGowan v . S t a t e , 
990 So. 2d 931, 967 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 2003) 
( S t a t e has no d u t y t o d i s c l o s e 
i n f o r m a t i o n 
on 
p r o s p e c t i v e j u r o r s ; S t a t e has no d u t y t o d i s c l o s e 
i n f o r m a t i o n 
a v a i l a b l e 
t o t h e d e f e n d a n t 
f r o m 
o t h e r 
s o u r c e s , 
i n c l u d i n g 
q u e s t i o n s on v o i r 
d i r e ) . 
13 
1071564 
c h a r g e , 
b u t 
"had 
t h e 
p r o s e c u t o r s 
known, 
we 
b e l i e v e 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n s 
o f 
b a s i c 
f a i r n e s s 
w o u l d 
have 
c r e a t e d 
an 
a f f i r m a t i v e d u t y on t h e p a r t o f t h e p r o s e c u t o r s 
t o make t h e 
d i s c l o s u r e " ) ; B e r g e r v. U n i t e d 
S t a t e s , 295 U.S. 78, 87 (1935) 
( " w h i l e 
[a p r o s e c u t o r ] 
may 
s t r i k e 
h a r d b l o w s , he i s n o t a t 
l i b e r t y t o s t r i k e 
f o u l o n e s . 
I t i s much h i s d u t y t o 
r e f r a i n 
f r o m 
i m p r o p e r 
methods 
c a l c u l a t e d 
t o 
p r o d u c e 
a 
w r o n g f u l 
c o n v i c t i o n as i t i s t o u s e e v e r y 
l e g i t i m a t e means t o b r i n g 
a b o u t a j u s t o n e . " ) ; 
S h i e l d s v . S t a t e , 
680 So. 2d 969, 974 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 1996) ( t h e " ' " p r u d e n t p r o s e c u t o r 
w i l l 
r e s o l v e 
d o u b t f u l q u e s t i o n s i n f a v o r o f d i s c l o s u r e " ' " ( q u o t i n g K y l e s v .  
W h i t l e y , 
514 U.S. 419, 439 
( 1 9 9 5 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
i n t u r n A g u r s v .  
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s , 427 U.S. 97, 108 
( 1 9 7 6 ) ) ) . 
The 
m a t e r i a l i t y o f L.A.'s 
f a i l u r e 
t o r e s p o n d 
t o t h e 
q u e s t i o n 
and t h e p r e j u d i c e 
t o D i x o n 
a r e e v i d e n c e d 
b y t h e 
t e s t i m o n y 
o f D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l 
c o u n s e l 
and b y t h e n a t u r e 
o f t h e 
i n f o r m a t i o n n o t d i s c l o s e d . 
D i x o n ' s t r i a l c o u n s e l 
t e s t i f i e d a t 
t h e 
e v i d e n t i a r y h e a r i n g 
t h a t , h a d he known 
o f t h e p e n d i n g 
c h a r g e s , he w o u l d h a v e c h a l l e n g e d L.A. f o r c a u s e o r e x e r c i s e d 
one h i s p e r e m p t o r y 
c h a l l e n g e s 
t o remove h e r . 
The 
d i r e c t 
14 
1071564 
t e s t i m o n y o f D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l c o u n s e l i s p r i m a f a c i e e v i d e n c e o f 
p r e j u d i c e t o D i x o n . 
F u r t h e r , 
e v e n 
i n t h e a b s e n c e 
o f s u c h 
t e s t i m o n y , t h e 
p o t e n t i a l 
f o r j u r o r 
b i a s 
i s o b v i o u s 
u n d e r 
t h e p r e s e n t 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s . 
As J u d g e W e l c h 
s t a t e d i n h i s d i s s e n t t o t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' u n p u b l i s h e d memorandum: 
" C e r t a i n l y 
i t w o u l d 
be a 
s e r i o u s 
c o n c e r n 
i f a 
p r o s p e c t i v e 
j u r o r was s u b j e c t t o t h e d i s c r e t i o n a r y 
d e c i s i o n s 
o f t h e d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y . 
Human 
n a t u r e 
b e i n g what i t i s , i t w o u l d 
have b e e n 
n a t u r a l f o r 
d e f e n s e c o u n s e l t o be s u s p i c i o u s a b o u t a j u r o r who 
was b e h o l d e n t o t h e S t a t e , and t o be r e l u c t a n t t o 
t a k e t h e c h a n c e 
t h a t t h e j u r o r m i g h t be b i a s e d and 
w a n t i n g t o c u r r y 
f a v o r w i t h t h e S t a t e b y v o t i n g t o 
c o n v i c t . 
I n d e e d , 
t r i a l 
c o u n s e l 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t h a d 
L.A. b e e n t r u t h f u l he w o u l d h a v e a t t e m p t e d t o s t r i k e 
h e r f o r c a u s e , 
a n d , 
f a i l i n g 
t h a t , 
he w o u l d 
h a v e 
e x e r c i s e d a p e r e m p t o r y c h a l l e n g e a n d s t r u c k h e r f r o m 
t h e 
v e n i r e . " 
So. 
3d a t 
. 
See 
a l s o 
T o m l i n , 695 So. 2d a t 175 
( j u r o r ' s 
f a i l u r e t o d i s c l o s e p e n d i n g c h a r g e o f p o s s e s s i o n o f 
c o c a i n e w a r r a n t e d r e v e r s a l o f c o n v i c t i o n ) .
6 
6 S e e 
a l s o 
B r a z l e t o n 
v. 
S t a t e , 
66 A l a . 96, 98 
(18 
80 
) 
( c h a l l e n g e f o r c a u s e p r o p e r where j u r o r was a s u r e t y on t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s a p p e a r a n c e b o n d ; e v e n t e m p o r a r y r e l a t i o n s h i p s may 
" i m p o r t a j u s t 
b e l i e f o f a want o f i m p a r t i a l i t y -- t h a t a 
j u r o r 
c a n n o t s t a n d i n d i f f e r e n t 
... f r o m t h e f a v o r 
s p r i n g i n g 
o u t o f t h e r e l a t i o n " ) ; Ex p a r t e L e d b e t t e r , 404 So. 2d 7 3 1 , 734 
( A l a . 
1981) 
( j u r o r who i s a l s o a c r i m e 
v i c t i m o r who was 
f o r m e r l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t 
o f f i c e r 
" w o u l d s t a n d l e s s 
i n d i f f e r e n t 
t h a n a l a y m a n , 
f r e e f r o m t h e t u g o f s u c h f o r m e r 
p r o f e s s i o n a l 
i n f l u e n c e s " ) ; W a l l a c e v . C a m p b e l l , 475 So. 2d 521 ( A l a . 
1985) 
15 
1071564 
The S t a t e c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e p r e s u m p t i o n o f p r e j u d i c e was 
r e b u t t e d b y L.A.'s t e s t i m o n y a t t h e h e a r i n g on D i x o n ' s 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
a new 
t r i a l 
t h a t t h e f a c t t h a t she h a d p e n d i n g 
c r i m i n a l 
c h a r g e s a g a i n s t h e r d i d n o t a f f e c t h e r v e r d i c t . 
The 
S t a t e ' s 
c o n t e n t i o n i s b a s e d upon L.A.'s n e g a t i v e 
r e s p o n s e when a s k e d 
w h e t h e r h e r v e r d i c t was p r e j u d i c e d by c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
r e l a t i n g 
t o t h e p e n d e n c y o f t h e c r i m i n a l c h a r g e s 
a g a i n s t 
h e r .
7 
The 
S t a t e 
c i t e s 
no 
a u t h o r i t y 
and makes 
no 
l e g a l 
a r g u m e n t t o 
s u p p o r t t h e a s s e r t i o n t h a t t h e p r e s u m p t i o n o f p r e j u d i c e c a n be 
r e b u t t e d m e r e l y by a j u r o r ' s c o n c l u s o r y 
s t a t e m e n t t h a t h i s o r 
h e r v e r d i c t was n o t a f f e c t e d b y t h e p o t e n t i a l s o u r c e o f b i a s . 
( c i v i l 
c a s e f o r i n j u r i e s 
s u f f e r e d d u r i n g a h i g h - s p e e d p o l i c e 
c h a s e ; new 
t r i a l 
r e q u i r e d where j u r o r f a i l e d t o d i s c l o s e t h a t 
she 
was 
r e l a t e d 
t o t h e 
s h e r i f f 
o f t h e 
c o u n t y 
where 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d ) ; 
C a v a l i e r I n s . C o r p . v . F a u l k , 368 So. 2d 
6, 8 ( A l a . 
1979) (new t r i a l 
r e q u i r e d i n c i v i l c a s e where two 
j u r o r s 
f a i l e d 
t o 
d i s c l o s e 
t h a t 
t h e y 
h a d 
p r e v i o u s l y 
b e e n 
r e p r e s e n t e d 
i n a l a w s u i t by one o f t h e l a w f i r m s i n v o l v e d i n 
t h e 
t r i a l ) . 
7 A t 
t h e 
e v i d e n t i a r y 
h e a r i n g , 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
e x c h a n g e 
b e t w e e n L.A. and t h e p r o s e c u t o r 
o c c u r r e d : 
"Q: 
... [ D ] i d 
t h e f a m i l y d i s p u t e 
t h a t 
r e s u l t e d i n 
t h e 
c h a r g e s 
i n E x h i b i t s One 
and Two 
and t h e f a c t 
t h a t 
t h i s c a s e was p o s s i b l y p e n d i n g when you s a t as 
a 
j u r o r , d i d t h a t 
have 
a n y t h i n g 
t o do 
w i t h 
y o u r 
v e r d i c t i n t h e c a s e ? 
"A: A b s o l u t e l y n o t . " 
16 
1071564 
I n 
any e v e n t , 
t h e j u r o r ' s own 
t e s t i m o n y 
as t o h i s o r h e r 
i m p a r t i a l i t y 
i n r e n d e r i n g 
a v e r d i c t does 
n o t h i n g 
t o 
r e b u t 
e v i d e n c e 
t h a t 
t r i a l 
c o u n s e l w o u l d have c h a l l e n g e d t h e j u r o r 
f o r 
c a u s e o r w o u l d h a v e u s e d a p e r e m p t o r y c h a l l e n g e t o s t r i k e 
t h a t 
j u r o r 
h a d 
t h e 
j u r o r 
r e s p o n d e d 
t r u t h f u l l y 
t o t h e 
q u e s t i o n .
8 
The p o i n t o f p e r e m p t o r y 
c h a l l e n g e s i s t o r e d u c e 
t h e 
e f f e c t o f h i d d e n 
o r u n c o n s c i o u s 
b i a s e s . 
See B r u n e r v .  
C a w t h o n , 681 So. 2d 173 ( A l a . l 9 9 6 ) 
(Maddox, J . , 
c o n c u r r i n g i n 
t h e r e s u l t ) 
( d i s c u s s i n g p o s s i b l e u s e o f w r i t t e n q u e s t i o n n a i r e s 
t o 
" d i s c l o s e h i d d e n 
p r e j u d i c e s t h a t t h e j u r o r m i g h t n o t e v e n 
s u s p e c t he o r she h a s " ) ; Ex p a r t e B r a n c h , 526 So. 2d 609, 628 
( A l a . 
1987) 
( d i s c u s s i n g 
r o l e 
o f p e r e m p t o r y 
c h a l l e n g e s i n 
i d e n t i f y i n g and e x c l u d i n g j u r o r s l i k e l y t o be b i a s e d 
a g a i n s t 
a p a r t y ) . 
Dobyne i s d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e f r o m t h e p r e s e n t 
c a s e as t o 
p r e j u d i c e . 
The j u r o r i n Dobyne f a i l e d t o d i s c l o s e t h a t many 
y e a r s b e f o r e Dobyne's 
t r i a l she h a d h a d some l i m i t e d 
c o n t a c t 
8 H e r e , t h a t e v i d e n c e 
t a k e s t h e f o r m o f b o t h " t h e o b v i o u s 
t e n d e n c y o f t h e t r u e f a c t s t o b i a s t h e j u r o r , as i n [Ex p a r t e ] 
L e d b e t t e r , 
[404 So. 2d 731 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 1 ) ] , 
[and] by 
d i r e c t 
t e s t i m o n y 
o f 
t r i a l 
c o u n s e l 
t h a t t h e t r u e 
f a c t s 
w o u l d 
h a v e 
p r o m p t e d 
a 
c h a l l e n g e 
a g a i n s t 
t h e 
j u r o r , 
as i n S t a t e 
v .  
F r e e m a n , 605 So. 2d 1258 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 9 2 ) . " 
Dobyne, 805 
So. 2d a t 7 7 3 . 
17 
1071564 
w i t h 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
i n 
h e r 
c a p a c i t y 
as 
a 
s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n 
c o o r d i n a t o r . 
She 
t e s t i f i e d 
a t t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s R u l e 32, 
A l a . 
R. C r i m . P., 
h e a r i n g 
t h a t she 
d i d n o t remember t h e 
d e f e n d a n t . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f o u n d 
t h a t 
no 
p r e j u d i c e 
had 
o c c u r r e d . 
Dobyne's 
t r i a l 
c o u n s e l 
t e s t i f i e d 
a t t h e R u l e 32 
h e a r i n g , 
b u t 
he d i d n o t s t a t e t h a t he w o u l d h a v e c h a l l e n g e d 
t h e j u r o r i f he 
had known o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p . 
He 
a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t , 
o t h e r 
t h a n 
t h e 
j u r o r ' s 
p r i o r 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t , 
he 
c o n s i d e r e d 
h e r 
t o be 
a d e s i r a b l e j u r o r . 
T h i s C o u r t c o n c l u d e d 
t h a t t h e r e was 
no e r r o r i n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
r e j e c t i o n o f 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s j u r o r - m i s c o n d u c t 
c l a i m . 
I n 
t h e 
p r e s e n t 
c a s e , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u r o r ' s 
b a r e 
a s s e r t i o n o f i m p a r t i a l i t y i s n o t 
s u f f i c i e n t t o r e b u t t h e p r i m a 
f a c i e 
e v i d e n c e , b o t h d i r e c t and 
i n f e r e n t i a l , 
t h a t 
D i x o n 
was 
p r e j u d i c e d 
by 
h e r 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
d i s c l o s e 
h e r 
p e n d i n g 
c r i m i n a l 
c h a r g e s . 
As J u d g e W e l c h s t a t e d i n h i s 
d i s s e n t : 
" I t 
w o u l d seem t o me 
t h a t 
i t i s 
i n t e l l e c t u a l l y 
d i s h o n e s t 
t o p r e t e n d 
t h a t D i x o n was 
n o t 
p r e j u d i c e d 
by L.A.'s s i l e n c e . The 
r e c o r d 
c l e a r l y 
r e f l e c t s 
t h a t 
a t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f 
v o i r 
d i r e 
L.A. 
was 
a 
c r i m i n a l 
d e f e n d a n t , who 
f o r a l l p r a c t i c a l p u r p o s e s was 
i n 
t h e 
m i d d l e 
o f 
n e g o t i a t i n g 
a 
p l e a 
a g r e e m e n t 
w i t h 
t h e 
S t a t e . 
I b e l i e v e 
t h a t 
i t w o u l d be 
d i f f i c u l t 
f o r 
a 
j u r o r i n L.A.'s p o s i t i o n t o be u n b i a s e d . I c e r t a i n l y 
do 
n o t 
b e l i e v e 
t h a t 
we 
can p r e s u m e , d e s p i t e 
L.A.'s 
18 
1071564 
p r o t e s t t o t h e 
c o n t r a r y , 
t h a t she 
was 
u n a f f e c t e d 
by 
h e r 
r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e 
S t a t e . 
"... 
J u r o r s know t h a t 
i t i s t h e i r 
j o b 
t o 
be 
f a i r 
and 
t o 
a v o i d 
p r e j u d i c e 
and 
b i a s . They a r e 
so 
i n s t r u c t e d 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
c o u r t ' s 
o r a l 
c h a r g e . A f t e r 
a 
t r i a l , 
a s k i n g a j u r o r i f h e r v e r d i c t was 
a f f e c t e d by 
a n y t h i n g 
t h a t 
w o u l d 
r e f l e c t 
on 
h e r 
a b i l i t y 
t o 
be 
f a i r , 
e s p e c i a l l y 
a f t e r 
t h a t 
j u r o r 
has 
b e e n 
t h o r o u g h l y 
q u e s t i o n e d 
by 
d e f e n s e 
c o u n s e l , 
i s 
e x t r e m e l y u n l i k e l y t o e l i c i t a p o s i t i v e r e s p o n s e . 
I n 
e s s e n c e , 
t h e 
j u r o r 
w o u l d 
have 
t o 
a d m i t 
h e r 
m i s c o n d u c t o r b i a s i n open c o u r t and 
t o t e s t i f y 
t h a t 
she 
i n t e n t i o n a l l y 
d i s r e g a r d e d 
h e r 
d u t y t o be 
f a i r . 
The 
j u r o r w o u l d be u n f a m i l i a r w i t h what w o u l d be 
t h e 
p e r s o n a l c o n s e q u e n c e s o f s u c h an a d m i s s i o n and 
m i g h t 
v e r y w e l l f e a r t h a t she w o u l d be h e l d i n c o n t e m p t 
o r 
c h a r g e d w i t h a c r i m e s u c h as o b s t r u c t i o n o f 
j u s t i c e 
i f 
she 
a d m i t t e d 
t h a t h e r v e r d i c t was 
t a i n t e d by 
h e r 
b i a s . 
F o r t h e s e r e a s o n s i t i s u n w i s e t o p l a c e 
g r e a t 
w e i g h t on 
an a n s w e r a f f i r m i n g a l a c k o f b i a s . " 
So. 
3d a t 
. 
T h e r e f o r e , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t L.A.'s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
d i s c l o s e 
t h e p e n d i n g c r i m i n a l c h a r g e s was 
m a t e r i a l and 
t h a t D i x o n 
was 
p r e j u d i c e d by L.A.'s f a i l u r e t o d i s c l o s e t h o s e c h a r g e s and 
h e r 
o n g o i n g n e g o t i a t i o n s 
w i t h 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y ' s 
o f f i c e 
a t 
t h e 
v e r y 
t i m e 
o f 
D i x o n ' s 
t r i a l . 
E v e n 
i f 
L.A. 
h o n e s t l y 
b e l i e v e d t h a t t h o s e c h a r g e s w o u l d n o t a f f e c t h e r d e c i s i o n , t h e 
l e g a l 
s t a n d a r d 
f o r b i a s 
i s u n q u e s t i o n a b l y 
met 
i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
F u r t h e r , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e 
p r e j u d i c e 
was 
s u f f i c i e n t 
t o 
19 
1071564 
w a r r a n t a new t r i a l , 
p a r t i c u l a r l y i n v i e w o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e 
d i s t r i c t a t t o r n e y c o u l d e a s i l y have a v o i d e d t h e n e c e s s i t y f o r 
a new 
t r i a l b y d i s c l o s i n g 
t h e p e n d i n g 
c h a r g e s . 
We r e v e r s e 
D i x o n ' s 
c o n v i c t i o n s and remand t h i s c a s e f o r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o c o n d u c t a new 
t r i a l . 
REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
Cobb, C . J . , 
and L y o n s , W o o d a l l , S t u a r t , S m i t h , B o l i n , and 
P a r k e r , J J . , c o n c u r . 
Shaw, J . , r e c u s e s 
h i m s e l f . * 
* J u s t i c e 
Shaw was a member 
o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s when t h a t c o u r t 
c o n s i d e r e d 
t h i s 
c a s e . 
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