Title: Ex parte James Allen Harrison, Jr. PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS (In re: James Allen Harrison, Jr. v. State of Alabama)

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL: 04/23/2010 
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 
1070223 
Ex p a r t e James A l l e n H a r r i s o n , 
J r . 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
( I n r e : 
James A l l e n H a r r i s o n , 
J r . 
v. 
S t a t e o f Alabama) 
( R u s s e l l C i r c u i t Court, CC-98-195.60; 
Court o f C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-05-2411) 
MURDOCK, 
J u s t i c e . 
1070223 
James A. H a r r i s o n , J r . , p e t i t i o n e d 
t h i s C o u r t f o r a w r i t 
o f 
c e r t i o r a r i t o r e v i e w w h e t h e r 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 
e r r e d i n a f f i r m i n g t h e R u s s e l l C i r c u i t C o u r t ' s d e n i a l o f h i s 
R u l e 32, A l a . R. C r i m . P., 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r p o s t c o n v i c t i o n 
r e l i e f 
as t o H a r r i s o n ' s c l a i m s o f j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t on t h e g r o u n d 
t h a t 
t h o s e 
c l a i m s were p r e c l u d e d u n d e r R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( a ) ( 3 ) 
and 
( 5 ) , 
A l a . 
R. C r i m . P. 
We 
i s s u e d t h e w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i t o r e v i e w 
o n l y 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
u n p u b l i s h e d - m e m o r a n d u m 
a f f i r m a n c e b y 
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 as t o t h a t i s s u e c o n f l i c t s w i t h 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n 
i n Ex 
p a r t e B u r g e s s , 
21 
So. 
3d 
74 6 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 8 ) . 
F o r 
t h e 
r e a s o n s 
d i s c u s s e d 
b e l o w , 
we 
h o l d 
t h a t 
H a r r i s o n ' s j u r o r - m i s c o n d u c t c l a i m s a r e n o t p r e c l u d e d , and 
we 
r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t 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 . 
I . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
I n 
2000, H a r r i s o n was 
c o n v i c t e d o f m u r d e r made 
c a p i t a l 
b e c a u s e i t was c o m m i t t e d d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f a r o b b e r y i n t h e 
f i r s t 
d e g r e e . 
See 
A l a . Code 
1 
975, 
§ 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) ( 2 ) . 
The 
v i c t i m , Thomas F r e d Day, J r . , was a h a n d i c a p p e d 
i n d i v i d u a l 
who 
had 
s u f f e r e d b r a i n damage and p e r m a n e n t damage t o one arm 
as 
t h e r e s u l t o f an i n d u s t r i a l a c c i d e n t . The j u r y recommended by 
a v o t e o f 11-1 
t h a t H a r r i s o n be s e n t e n c e d t o d e a t h ; t h e 
t r i a l 
2 
1070223 
j u d g e 
a c c e p t e d 
t h e 
j u r y ' s 
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n 
and 
s e n t e n c e d 
H a r r i s o n 
t o d e a t h . 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
c o n v i c t i o n and 
s e n t e n c e were 
a f f i r m e d on d i r e c t a p p e a l . 
See 
H a r r i s o n v. S t a t e , 869 
So. 
2d 
509 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 2 ) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 
869 
So. 2d 529 
( A l a . 
2003) 
( n o t e 
f r o m 
r e p o r t e r 
o f 
d e c i s i o n s ) , 
c e r t . 
d e n i e d , 
H a r r i s o n v. A l a b a m a , 540 
U.S. 
1113 
( 2 0 0 4 ) . 
I n J u l y 2004, H a r r i s o n 
f i l e d t h e p r e s e n t R u l e 32, A l a . 
R. 
C r i m . 
P., 
p e t i t i o n . 
A f t e r 
t h e 
S t a t e 
f i l e d 
i t s r e s p o n s e , 
H a r r i s o n 
f i l e d 
an amended p e t i t i o n . 
The 
S t a t e t h e n 
f i l e d 
an 
a n s w e r t o and 
a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s 
t h e amended p e t i t i o n . 
I n 
p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t , H a r r i s o n ' s 
p e t i t i o n 
as amended a l l e g e d 
t h a t 
two j u r o r s had 
f a i l e d t o p r o v i d e a c c u r a t e a n s w e r s 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 
t h e 
v o i r 
d i r e e x a m i n a t i o n 
and 
t h a t 
t h e i r 
f a i l u r e 
t o do 
so amounted t o j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t t h a t 
e n t i t l e d 
H a r r i s o n t o a new 
t r i a l . 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
R u l e 
32 
p e t i t i o n 
a l l e g e d 
t h a t 
j u r o r A.T.P. 
f a i l e d 
t o r e s p o n d t o f o u r q u e s t i o n s 
p r o p o u n d e d by 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d u r i n g 
v o i r 
d i r e 
and 
t h a t 
she 
s h o u l d 
h a v e 
r e s p o n d e d 
a f f i r m a t i v e l y 
t o 
a l l f o u r 
q u e s t i o n s . 
Upon 
l e a r n i n g 
o f 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
a l l e g a t i o n s , A.T.P. s u b m i t t e d 
an 
a f f i d a v i t 
t o 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ; she c o n f i r m e d some o f H a r r i s o n ' s 
a l l e g a t i o n s and 
3 
1070223 
a t t e m p t e d 
t o 
e x p l a i n why 
she 
had 
f a i l e d 
t o r e s p o n d 
t o 
e a c h 
q u e s t i o n . 
As 
f o r t h e v o i r d i r e q u e s t i o n s 
a t i s s u e , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f i r s t 
a s k e d t h e members o f 
t h e 
j u r y v e n i r e : 
" I s 
t h e r e 
any 
member o f t h e j u r y [who 
has b e e n ] o r [ h a s ] had 
an 
i m m e d i a t e 
f a m i l y member who 
was 
t h e v i c t i m o f a r o b b e r y , 
and 
a 
r o b b e r y 
i s 
a 
s i t u a t i o n 
where someone u s e s 
f o r c e 
o r 
t h r e a t e n s 
t h e 
i m m e d i a t e 
use 
o f 
f o r c e 
t o 
t a k e 
p r o p e r t y 
f r o m y o u r 
p e r s o n ? " 
A.T.P. f a i l e d t o r e s p o n d t o t h e q u e s t i o n . 
H a r r i s o n 
a l l e g e d , 
and A.T.P. c o n f i r m e d 
i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t , 
t h a t she 
had b e e n 
t h e 
v i c t i m 
o f t h r e e 
s e p a r a t e 
r o b b e r i e s 
i n 1994, 
1997, 
and 
1999, 
a l l 
o f w h i c h o c c u r r e d 
a t h e r p l a c e 
o f e m p l o y m e n t i n 
G e o r g i a . 
H a r r i s o n a l l e g e d i n h i s R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n 
t h a t 
" [ i ] n 
a l l t h r e e r o b b e r i e s , t h e p e r p e t r a t o r p l a c e d 
a 
gun 
t o [ A . T . P . ' s ] h e a d and demanded t h a t 
she 
empty 
t h e 
c a s h 
r e g i s t e r . 
The 
r o b b e r i e s 
s c a r r e d [ A . T . P . ] 
so 
s e v e r e l y 
t h a t 
she 
n e e d e d h e r 
h u s b a n d 
t o 
s w i t c h 
w o r k s h i f t s f r o m n i g h t t o day 
f o r f e a r o f b e i n g 
l e f t 
a l o n e 
a t n i g h t . 
A f t e r t h e 
f i r s t 
r o b b e r y , 
[ A . T . P . ] 
s t a y e d 
o u t 
o f w o r k f o r s e v e r a l weeks as a r e s u l t 
o f 
t h e 
t r a u m a . 
A.T.P. 
u l t i m a t e l y 
t e s t i f i e d 
as 
a 
w i t n e s s 
i n t h e 
t r i a l 
f o r t h e 
f i r s t 
r o b b e r y ,
[ 1 ] 
and 
t h e d e f e n d a n t was 
c o n v i c t e d . " 
1A.T.P. c o n f i r m e d 
i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t 
t h a t she 
t e s t i f i e d 
as 
a w i t n e s s 
i n one 
o f t h e r o b b e r y 
t r i a l s . 
4 
1070223 
A.T.P. s t a t e d i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t 
t h a t 
t h e 
r e a s o n 
she 
d i d 
n o t 
r e s p o n d t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s q u e s t i o n 
as 
t o w h e t h e r 
she 
had b e e n t h e 
v i c t i m 
o f a r o b b e r y 
was 
t h a t 
she " t h o u g h t 
[ t h e 
c o u r t ] was 
a s k i n g 
i f we 
had b e e n a v i c t i m 
i n A l a b a m a . " 
She 
a l s o 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
f a c t 
t h a t 
she 
had 
b e e n 
a 
v i c t i m 
o f 
r o b b e r i e s " i n no way 
a f f e c t e d my v e r d i c t i n t h e g u i l t p h a s e o r 
t h e p e n a l t y p h a s e o f H a r r i s o n ' s 
t r i a l . " 
S e c o n d , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a s k e d 
t h e members o f 
t h e 
j u r y 
v e n i r e : 
"Has 
any member o f t h e j u r y b e e n i n d i c t e d w i t h i n t h e 
l a s t 
12 
months 
f o r 
a 
f e l o n y 
o f f e n s e 
o r 
f o r 
t h e 
o f f e n s e 
o f 
m u r d e r 
w i t h 
w h i c h 
t h e 
D e f e n d a n t 
i s 
c h a r g e d ? 
And 
a f e l o n y o f f e n s e i s d e f i n e d as a c r i m e 
i n v o l v i n g 
p u n i s h m e n t 
i n 
t h e 
p e n i t e n t i a r y f o r 
n o t 
l e s s t h a n one 
y e a r 
and 
one 
d a y . " 
A.T.P. f a i l e d t o r e s p o n d t o t h e q u e s t i o n . 
H a r r i s o n a l l e g e d i n 
h i s 
R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n t h a t " [ o ] n J u l y 20, 2000, o n l y one month 
p r i o r t o Mr. 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
t r i a l , 
a M u s c o g e e C o u n t y [ , 
G e o r g i a , ] 
j u d g e a c c e p t e d A.T.P.'s g u i l t y p l e a t o s i x c o u n t s o f 
f i n a n c i a l 
t r a n s a c t i o n 
c a r d 
f r a u d , p u n i s h a b l e 
by 
up 
t o t w e l v e 
y e a r s 
i n 
p r i s o n . " 
C o p i e s 
o f 
t h e 
c o u r t 
r e c o r d s 
o f 
t h e s e 
c h a r g e s , 
c e r t i f i e d 
by M u s c o g e e C o u n t y , 
G e o r g i a , 
c o u r t 
o f f i c i a l s 
and 
5 
1070223 
a t t a c h e d 
as 
an 
e x h i b i t 
t o A.T.P.'s 
a f f i d a v i t , show t h a t 
t h e 
c h a r g e s w e r e 
f i l e d 
on May 
22, 
2 0 0 0 .
2 
A.T.P. s t a t e d i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t t h a t she " d i d n o t remember 
t h a t t h e c h a r g e s h a d b e e n f i l e d w i t h i n 12 months o f 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
t r i a l , " 
t h a t 
she 
"was 
n o t 
a w a r e , o r h a d 
f o r g o t t e n , 
t h a t 
t h e 
c h a r g e s w e r e f e l o n y o f f e n s e s , " 
and 
t h a t 
she 
was 
" g i v e n 
f i r s t 
o f f e n d e r 
t r e a t m e n t . " 
A.T.P. s t a t e d 
t h a t 
she 
" d i d n o t 
p l e a d 
g u i l t y " and 
t h a t she was 
" p l a c e d 
on p r o b a t i o n , 
o r d e r e d t o 
p a y 
a 
f i n e , 
and 
o r d e r e d 
t o p e r f o r m some c o m m u n i t y s e r v i c e " as 
a 
r e s u l t 
o f t h e c h a r g e s . 
She 
a l s o e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t 
she 
was 
" t o l d 
b y someone a t 
t h e p a r d o n s and 
p a r o l e 
o f f i c e , 
[ w h o s e ] name 
I 
c a n n o t 
remember, 
t h a t 
I 
was 
n o t 
c o n v i c t e d 
o f a f e l o n y and, 
i f a s k e d , c o u l d s a y I 
was 
n o t 
c o n v i c t e d 
o f 
a 
f e l o n y . 
B e c a u s e I h a d 
s e t t l e d 
t h o s e c a s e s , I d i d n o t 
t h i n k a b o u t them w h i l e 
b e i n g 
q u e s t i o n e d 
b y 
[ t h e 
c o u r t ] 
and 
t h e 
a t t o r n e y s 
f o r 
H a r r i s o n 
and 
t h e 
S t a t e . " 
As 
she 
d i d w i t h r e s p e c t 
t o t h e i s s u e w h e t h e r she h a d e v e r b e e n 
a 
r o b b e r y 
v i c t i m , A.T.P. 
s t a t e d 
i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t 
t h a t 
t h e 
c h a r g e s 
i n no 
way 
a f f e c t e d h e r 
d e l i b e r a t i o n s as 
a j u r o r 
i n 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
t r i a l . 
2A.T.P. p l e a d e d g u i l t y 
t o a l l s i x c h a r g e s . 
She 
r e c e i v e d 
a t w o - y e a r s e n t e n c e on e a c h o f 
t h e 
s i x c h a r g e s , some o f 
t h e 
s e n t e n c e s 
t o 
be 
s e r v e d 
c o n c u r r e n t l y 
and 
some 
t o 
be 
s e r v e d 
c o n s e c u t i v e l y . 
The 
s e n t e n c e s 
w e r e 
s u s p e n d e d 
p e n d i n g 
c o m p l e t i o n o f f o u r y e a r s o f 
p r o b a t i o n . 
6 
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T h i r d , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a s k e d t h e members 
o f t h e 
j u r y 
v e n i r e : " [ H ] a v e you b e e n p r o s e c u t e d o r h a d an i m m e d i a t e f a m i l y 
member t h a t ' s b e e n p r o s e c u t e d i n a l e g a l m a t t e r i n t h e p a s t b y 
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 . P . f a i l e d t o r e s p o n d t o 
t h e q u e s t i o n . 
H a r r i s o n a l l e g e d i n h i s R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n , and 
A . T . P . c o n f i r m e d i n h e r a f f i d a v i t , 
t h a t " h e r h a l f - b r o t h e r h a d 
b e e n 
p r o s e c u t e d 
f o r 
s h o o t i n g 
h i s 
w i f e 
and 
h a d 
b e e n 
i n c a r c e r a t e d f o r t h e c r i m e . " 
A . T . P . 
e x p l a i n e d 
i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t 
t h a t 
she 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 b e c a u s e t h e s h o o t i n g 
" o c c u r r e d i n 
1972 
o r 1973 when I was s i x 
o r s e v e n y e a r s 
o l d . " 
She s t a t e d 
t h a t she h a d "no p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e o f what h a p p e n [ e d ] a n d , a t 
t h e 
t i m e o f H a r r i s o n ' s 
t r i a l , 
h a d n o t t h o u g h t a b o u t i t i n a 
number o f y e a r s . " 
A.T.P. 
s t a t e d 
t h a t t h e p r o s e c u t i o n 
and 
c o n v i c t i o n 
o f 
h e r 
h a l f - b r o t h e r 
d i d 
n o t 
a f f e c t 
h e r 
d e l i b e r a t i o n s as a j u r o r i n H a r r i s o n ' s 
t r i a l . 
F o u r t h , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a s k e d t h e members 
o f t h e 
j u r y 
v e n i r e : 
" I s t h e r e 
any member 
o f t h e 
j u r y 
who 
h a s 
b e e n 
r e p r e s e n t e d b y 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 i n t h e p a s t i n 
some s o r t o f l e g a l m a t t e r ? " 
A.T.P. 
f a i l e d t o r e s p o n d t o t h e 
q u e s t i o n . 
H a r r i s o n 
a l l e g e d i n h i s R u l e 
32 
p e t i t i o n 
t h a t 
7 
1070223 
A.T.P. had 
f a i l e d t o d i s c l o s e t h a t t h e 
d i s t r i c t a t t o r n e y 
"had 
w o r k e d w i t h 
[ A . T . P . ' s ] h u s b a n d i n s e e k i n g 
c h i l d 
s u p p o r t . " 
A.T.P. s t a t e d 
i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t 
t h a t 
t h e 
a s s i s t a n c e 
h e r 
h u s b a n d r e c e i v e d 
i n a c h i l d - s u p p o r t m a t t e r f r o m t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y 
" o c c u r r e d 
b e f o r e 
he and 
I were m a r r i e d . " 
She 
s t a t e d 
t h a t she "knew he had g o t t e n some l e g a l h e l p 
c o l l e c t i n g 
c h i l d 
s u p p o r t " 
b u t 
t h a t 
she 
" d i d 
n o t 
know 
i t 
[came] 
f r o m 
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.P. e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t she 
n e v e r 
a c c o m p a n i e d h e r h u s b a n d t o c o u r t o r t o 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 r e g a r d i n g t h e c h i l d - s u p p o r t m a t t e r . 
A.T.P. s t a t e d t h a t 
e v e n i f she 
had 
known t h a t 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
a t t o r n e y 
h a d 
h e l p e d 
h e r h u s b a n d , i t w o u l d n o t h a v e a f f e c t e d h e r 
d e l i b e r a t i o n s as 
a j u r o r i n H a r r i s o n ' s 
t r i a l . 
H a r r i s o n 
a l s o a l l e g e d i n h i s R u l e 32 
p e t i t i o n t h a t j u r o r 
H.W.'s r e s p o n s e s 
t o 
q u e s t i o n s 
p o s e d 
by 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
a t t o r n e y 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
v o i r 
d i r e 
e x a m i n a t i o n 
were 
i n a c c u r a t e . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
c o l l o q u y 
o c c u r r e d 
b e t w e e n 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
a t t o r n e y 
and 
j u r o r H.W. 
d u r i n g v o i r 
d i r e : 
"MR. 
COLLINS: Have you 
e v e r s e r v e d 
on 
a 
j u r y ? 
"[H.W.]: Y e a h . 
"MR. 
COLLINS: When was 
t h a t ? 
8 
1070223 
"[H.W.]: L a s t y e a r . 
B u t t h a t was p e n n y - a n t e 
s t u f f , 
s t e a l i n g . 
I n e v e r [ g o t ] 
c a l l e d , b u t I came up h e r e 
e v e r y m o r n i n g . 
"MR. COLLINS: J u s t 
l i k e 
t h i s ? 
"[H.W.]: Y e a h . 
"MR. COLLINS: B u t you n e v e r g o t p i c k e d ? 
"[H.W.]: Y e a h . 
"MR. 
C o l l i n s : So you n e v e r h a v e a c t u a l l y 
s e r v e d on 
a 
j u r y ? 
"[H.W.]: No." 
H a r r i s o n 
a l l e g e d i n h i s R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n 
t h a t H.W. "had 
a c t u a l l y s a t 
on t h r e e j u r i e s p r i o r t o Mr. H a r r i s o n ' s c a s e , one 
o f w h i c h 
i n v o l v e d a d e f e n d a n t who was c o n v i c t e d o f b u r g l a r y 
and 
s e n t e n c e d t o j a i l . 
I n a l l 
t h r e e 
c a s e s , 
t h e d e f e n d a n t s 
were f o u n d g u i l t y . " 
H.W. 
d i d 
n o t s u b m i t an a f f i d a v i t . 
I n A u g u s t 2006, t h e c o u r t s u m m a r i l y d i s m i s s e d 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
amended R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n . 
On a p p e a l , 
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 , 
i n an u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum, 
a f f i r m e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l o f H a r r i s o n ' s 
R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n . 
H a r r i s o n v .  
S t a t e 
(No. CR-05-2411) 14 So. 3d 197 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 2007) 
( t a b l e ) . 
As t o H a r r i s o n ' s 
c l a i m s o f j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t , 
t h a t 
c o u r t 
s t a t e d i n i t s u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum 
t h a t a c l a i m o f 
9 
1070223 
j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t t h a t 
r i s e s 
t o t h e 
l e v e l 
o f a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
v i o l a t i o n 
"does 
n o t 
h a v e 
t o meet 
t h e 
r e q u i r e m e n t s 
o f 
n e w l y 
d i s c o v e r e d 
e v i d e n c e 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
3 2 . 1 ( e ) , 
A l a . 
R. 
C r i m . 
P., 
b u t 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r must show 
t h a t 
' t h e 
i n f o r m a t i o n was 
n o t known, and 
c o u l d n o t 
r e a s o n a b l y 
h a v e b e e n d i s c o v e r e d , 
a t 
t r i a l 
o r 
i n t i m e t o 
r a i s e 
t h e i s s u e i n a m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l 
o r on 
a p p e a l . ' 
Ex 
p a r t e 
P i e r c e , 
851 
So. 
2d 
606, 
616 
( A l a . 2 0 0 1 ) . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f o u n d 
t h a t 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
c o u n s e l 
i n t e r v i e w e d 
a t 
l e a s t one 
j u r o r p r i o r 
t o 
s e n t e n c i n g 
and 
t h a t 
H a r r i s o n 
d i d 
n o t 
show 
why 
any 
a l l e g e d 
m i s c o n d u c t t h a t was 
n o t 
a l r e a d y known t o h i m 
c o u l d 
n o t h a v e b e e n d i s c o v e r e d 
a t t h a t 
t i m e . 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
r e l i a n c e 
on 
[Ex p a r t e Dobyne, 805 
So. 
2d 
763 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 1 ) , ] 
i s m i s p l a c e d . 
I n b o t h Dobyne and 
P i e r c e , 
t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t e r r o n e o u s l y 
a p p l i e d t h e R u l e 3 2 . 1 ( e ) 
r e q u i r e m e n t s 
t o 
a R u l e 3 2 . 1 ( a ) 
c l a i m . 
P i e r c e 
was 
remanded t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n u n d e r 
t h e c o r r e c t r e q u i r e m e n t s , b u t remand was 
n o t 
r e q u i r e 
i n 
Dobyne 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h a d 
made 
an 
a l t e r n a t i v e 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
a p p e l l a n t ' s 
c l a i m s 
l a c k e d 
m e r i t . 
"... 
H a r r i s o n 
has 
n o t 
shown 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
i n 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
h i s 
j u r o r - m i s c o n d u c t 
c l a i m s were p r o c e d u r a l l y 
b a r r e d . " 
H a r r i s o n t h e n p e t i t i o n e d t h i s C o u r t f o r c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w 
o f 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 . 
We 
g r a n t e d 
t h e 
w r i t 
t o 
c o n s i d e r 
w h e t h e r 
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 
B u r g e s s , 
21 
So. 
3d 
746 
( A l a . 2 0 0 8 ) . 
10 
1070223 
I I . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
" ' T h i s 
C o u r t 
r e v i e w s 
p u r e q u e s t i o n s 
o f 
l a w 
i n 
c r i m i n a l 
c a s e s de n o v o . ' " 
Ex p a r t e Morrow, 915 
So. 
2d 539, 
541 
( A l a . 
2004) 
( q u o t i n g 
Ex 
p a r t e 
Key, 
8 
90 
So. 
2d 
1056, 
1059 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 3 ) ) . 
I I I . 
A n a l y s i s 
The 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s a g r e e d w i t h t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t h a t H a r r i s o n had 
f a i l e d t o d e m o n s t r a t e why 
any 
a l l e g e d 
j u r o r 
m i s c o n d u c t 
was 
n o t 
known 
t o 
h i m 
o r 
c o u l d 
n o t 
h a v e 
b e e n 
d i s c o v e r e d 
by 
h i m 
p r i o r 
t o h i s 
s e n t e n c i n g , 
n o t i n g 
t h a t 
h i s 
c o u n s e l had i n t e r v i e w e d a t l e a s t one j u r o r b e f o r e H a r r i s o n 
was 
s e n t e n c e d . 
I n 
B u r g e s s , 
h o w e v e r , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
r e v e r s e d 
a 
d e c i s i o n by 
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 
t h a t was 
b a s e d 
on 
r e a s o n i n g 
s i m i l a r 
t o t h a t c o u r t ' s r e a s o n i n g 
h e r e . 
We 
e x p l a i n e d 
i n B u r g e s s : 
" B u r g e s s 
r e a s o n a b l y 
e x p e c t e d 
t h a t 
p o t e n t i a l 
 
j u r o r s 
a n s w e r e d 
a c c u r a t e l y 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n s 
p o s e d 
t o 
 
them 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
v o i r 
d i r e 
e x a m i n a t i o n . 
I t 
i s 
u n r e a s o n a b l e 
t o h o l d 
t h a t a d e f e n d a n t must u n c o v e r 
any 
and 
a l l 
j u r o r 
m i s c o n d u c t 
i n 
t h e 
f o r m 
o f 
i n a c c u r a t e 
r e s p o n s e s 
t o 
v o i r 
d i r e 
e x a m i n a t i o n 
i n 
t i m e 
t o 
r a i s e 
s u c h 
c l a i m s 
i n 
a m o t i o n 
f o r 
a 
new 
t r i a l 
o r on a p p e a l . 
R e q u i r i n g a d e f e n d a n t t o 
r a i s e 
s u c h c l a i m s o f j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t d u r i n g t h e 
i n t e r v a l 
b e t w e e n t h e v o i r 
d i r e e x a m i n a t i o n 
and 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f 
p o s t t r i a l m o t i o n s p l a c e s 
an i m p r a c t i c a b l e b u r d e n 
on 
d e f e n d a n t s . 
I n 
t h i s 
c a s e , 
t h e r e 
i s 
no 
e v i d e n c e 
11 
1070223 
b e f o r e 
us 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
B u r g e s s 
s u s p e c t e d 
o r 
s h o u l d 
h a v e 
s u s p e c t e d 
t h a t 
any 
j u r o r s 
d i d 
n o t 
a c c u r a t e l y 
a n s w e r 
a q u e s t i o n 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
v o i r 
d i r e 
e x a m i n a t i o n . 
... 
"The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , 
i n 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
B u r g e s s ' s 
c l a i m s were p r o c e d u r a l l y 
b a r r e d 
by 
R u l e 
3 2 . 2 ( a ) ( 3 ) 
and 
( a ) ( 5 ) , 
f o u n d 
' t h a t 
t h e 
i n f o r m a t i o n 
o b t a i n e d 
f r o m 
t h e 
j u r o r s 
was 
a v a i l a b l e 
t o 
n e w l y 
a p p o i n t e d 
a p p e l l a t e 
c o u n s e l 
and 
c o u l d 
h a v e 
b e e n 
r a i s e d 
i n 
[ B u r g e s s ' s ] M o t i o n 
f o r New 
T r i a l . 
A l l c o u n s e l 
had 
t o 
do 
was 
t o 
i n t e r v i e w 
t h e 
j u r o r s 
i n 
p o s t - t r i a l 
i n t e r v i e w s 
j u s t as was 
done by p e t i t i o n e r ' s 
c o u n s e l 
h e r e i n . ' 
However, 
i t i s u n r e a s o n a b l e 
t o 
r e q u i r e 
 
t h a t 
a d e f e n d a n t , u n a w a r e o f 
any 
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 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
v o i r 
d i r e 
 
e x a m i n a t i o n , must c o n t a c t e a c h j u r o r and 
a s k w h e t h e r  
he 
o r 
she 
a c c u r a t e l y 
and 
t r u t h f u l l y 
a n s w e r e d 
s u c h  
q u e s t i o n s . 
J u r y 
s e r v i c e i s s u f f i c i e n t l y 
d i s r u p t i v e 
o f a c i t i z e n ' s r e g u l a r 
a c t i v i t i e s w i t h o u t t h i s C o u r t 
a n n o u n c i n g 
a 
r u l e 
t h a t 
w o u l d 
r o u t i n e l y 
s u b j e c t 
j u r o r s 
t o 
p o t e n t i a l l y 
i n s u l t i n g 
p o s t v e r d i c t 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e i r v e r a c i t y . 
A b s e n t 
any 
e v i d e n c e 
t h a t 
a t e l e p h o n e 
c a l l 
t o some o r 
a l l t h e 
j u r o r s 
w o u l d 
have b e e n 
n o t h i n g 
more 
t h a n 
a 
mere 
f i s h i n g 
e x p e d i t i o n , 
we 
c a n n o t 
h o l d 
on 
t h i s 
r e c o r d 
t h a t B u r g e s s ' s c l a i m s 
a r e 
p r e c l u d e d . " 
B u r g e s s , 21 
So. 
3d 
a t 754-55 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
The 
S t a t e a c k n o w l e d g e s 
t h i s C o u r t ' s h o l d i n g 
i n B u r g e s s . 
The 
S t a t e c o n t e n d s , h o w e v e r , t h a t H a r r i s o n 
f a i l e d 
t o 
e x p l a i n 
i n 
h i s 
R u l e 
32 
p e t i t i o n 
why 
he 
c o u l d 
n o t 
have 
r e a s o n a b l y 
d i s c o v e r e d 
t h e a l l e g e d j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t i n t i m e t o a s s e r t 
t h a t 
c l a i m i n h i s m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l 
o r on 
a p p e a l . 
12 
1070223 
As we i n d i c a t e d i n B u r g e s s , h o w e v e r , t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f 
j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t i s s u c h t h a t a d e f e n d a n t 
t y p i c a l l y 
w i l l n o t 
be 
aware 
t h a t 
t h e r e i s any m i s c o n d u c t 
t o be 
d i s c o v e r e d . 
P l a c i n g a r e q u i r e m e n t on a d e f e n d a n t t o u n c o v e r any and 
a l l 
p o s s i b l e j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t w i t h o u t r e a s o n t o know what t y p e o f 
m i s c o n d u c t t h e d e f e n d a n t m i g h t be l o o k i n g f o r o r , i n f a c t , 
w h e t h e r 
any 
m i s c o n d u c t 
o c c u r r e d , 
w o u l d 
r e q u i r e 
c r i m i n a l 
d e f e n d a n t s t o embark on a b r o a d - r a n g i n g f i s h i n g e x p e d i t i o n a t 
t h e 
c o n c l u s i o n o f e v e r y c r i m i n a l 
t r i a l o r w a i v e t h e r i g h t t o 
c o m p l a i n 
o f 
any 
j u r o r 
m i s c o n d u c t 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
m i g h t 
u l t i m a t e l y 
d i s c o v e r . 
M o r e o v e r , when i t comes t o v o i r 
d i r e 
e x a m i n a t i o n o f j u r o r s , t h e d e f e n d a n t h a s e v e r y r i g h t t o e x p e c t 
t h a t 
j u r o r s 
w i l l 
p r o v i d e 
t r u t h f u l 
and a c c u r a t e r e s p o n s e s .
3 
" ' [ 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 
'to 
s p e a k t h e t r u t h . ' " 
6 Wayne R. L a F a v e 
e t a l . , C r i m i n a l 
3 S e e , e . g . , T o m l i n v . S t a t e , 695 So. 2d 157, 169 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 1996) ( o b s e r v i n g t h a t 
" ' [ 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 have 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 i m . App. 1992) ( 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 2 3 2 , 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 ) 
( 2 d . e d . 
1 9 9 2 ) . " ) 
13 
1070223 
P r o c e d u r e § 2 2 . 3 ( a ) 
(3d. e d . 2 0 0 7 ) . 
As 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 o b s e r v e d i n S t a t e 
v. F r e e m a n , 
605 
So. 
2d 
1258, 
1259 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 
1 9 9 2 ) : 
" 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 . " ' " 
( 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 ) ) . 
As 
i n B u r g e s s , 
t h e r e 
i s 
no 
e v i d e n c e 
i n t h e 
r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t H a r r i s o n 
s h o u l d 
h a v e 
b e e n aware b e f o r e 
he 
f i l e d h i s m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l 
o r 
h i s 
d i r e c t 
a p p e a l 
t h a t some 
j u r o r s 
had 
p r o v i d e d 
u n t r u t h f u l 
o r 
i n a c c u r a t e a n s w e r s d u r i n g v o i r d i r e 
e x a m i n a t i o n . 
B a s e d 
on 
t h e 
f o r e g o i n g , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
c l a i m s 
i n h i s 
R u l e 
32 
p e t i t i o n 
t h a t 
two 
j u r o r s 
f a i l e d 
t o 
a n s w e r a c c u r a t e l y q u e s t i o n s p o s e d t o them d u r i n g t h e v o i r d i r e 
e x a m i n a t i o n 
a r e 
n o t 
p r e c l u d e d . 
We 
t h e r e f o r e 
r e v e r s e 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t 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 and remand t h i s c a s e 
f o r 
t h a t c o u r t , i n t u r n , t o remand i t t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f o r 
an 
e v i d e n t i a r y 
h e a r i n g 
on 
t h e 
m e r i t s 
o f 
H a r r i s o n ' s 
14 
1070223 
j u r o r - m i s c o n d u c t 
c l a i m s 
a n d a d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
as t o w h e t h e r 
H a r r i s o n i s e n t i t l e d t o 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 . 
15