IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

EASTERN DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA )

 )

 v. ) CR. NO. 03:06cr208-MEF

)

JASON EDWARD COFIELD )

UNITED STATES’ PROPOSED VOIR DIRE QUESTIONS

Comes now the United States of America, by and through Leura

G. Canary, United States Attorney for the Middle District of

Alabama, and respectfully requests that the Court propound the

following Voir Dire Questions on the jury venire in the

above-styled case.

Respectfully submitted this the 5 day of March, 2007. th

LEURA G. CANARY

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

/s/ Verne H. Speirs

VERNE H. SPEIRS

Assistant United States Attorney

One Court Square, Suite 201

Montgomery, AL 36104

Phone: (334) 223-7280

Fax: (334) 223-7135

verne.speirs@usdoj.gov

Case 3:06-cr-00208-MEF-CSC Document 42 Filed 03/05/2007 Page 1 of 7
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IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

EASTERN DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA )

 )

 v. ) CR. NO. 03:06CR208-MEF

)

JASON EDWARD COFIELD )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on March 5, 2007, I electronically filed

the following Voir Dire Questions with the Clerk of the Court using

the CM/ECF system which will send notification of such filing to

Pate DeBardeleben.

LEURA G. CANARY

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

/s/ Verne H. Speirs

VERNE H. SPEIRS

Assistant United States Attorney

One Court Square, Suite 201

Montgomery, AL 36104

Phone: (334) 223-7280

Fax: (334) 223-7135

verne.speirs@usdoj.gov

Case 3:06-cr-00208-MEF-CSC Document 42 Filed 03/05/2007 Page 2 of 7
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1. Based on the information you have heard in Court today

concerning this case, have any of you heard or read anything about

this case on television, radio or in the newspaper?

If so, based on what you have heard or read, have you formed

any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant?

If so, based on what you have heard or read, have you formed

an opinion as to what, if anything, really happened?

Do you feel that, based on what you have heard or read, you

cannot determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant solely on

the evidence introduced at trial?

2. Have any of you discussed any aspect of this case with

anyone who claimed to have some special knowledge of what actually

occurred?

If so, with whom and under what circumstances? What knowledge

did this person claim to have? Have you formed some opinion based

on what this person told you?

3. Does any member of the jury panel know Jason Cofield, or

any member of his family (including his father Willis “Kenny”

Cofield), or any friends of his, on either a personal, business, or

professional basis?

If so, who, and in what capacity?

If so, are you able to put aside feelings resulting from such

knowledge, regardless of whether they are favorable or unfavorable

to Jason Cofield, or to any member of his family or friend of his,

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Date of the ATF incident in Waco, Texas. 1

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and decide this case solely upon the evidence?

4. Does any member of the jury panel know Investigator Keith

Jordan or Investigator Donnie Surrett, or any member of their

family, or friends, on either a personal, business, or professional

basis?

5. Has any member of the jury panel had any dealings with the

Lee County Sheriff’s Department?

6. Do you or any or your friends or relatives know any of the

attorneys in these cases? If so, who and how?

7. Do you or any of your friends or relatives know any of the

witnesses in these cases (have attorneys read a list of their

witnesses)?

8. Do you know any other members of the jury panel? If so,

who and how?

9. Has any member of the jury panel, or have any of your

friends or relatives, ever had any dealings with the Bureau of

Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms? 

If so, please explain.

10. Does any member of the jury panel commemorate April 19,

1993?1

11. Does any member of the jury panel have a strong opinion

about

the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms?

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12. Does any member of the jury panel believe that the

federal government has no right to enforce gun laws?

13. Does any member of the jury panel believe that a

convicted felon should be allowed to lawfully possess a firearm?

14. Does any member of the jury panel believe that it should

be lawful to possess or conceal stolen motor vehicles? 

15. Does any member of the jury panel live on property with

security cameras and motion lights wired to any outbuildings or

sheds? If so, why? 

16. Do each and every one of you understand that during the

course of the trial an attorney is not permitted to speak to the

jurors and, therefore, if you see an attorney in the hall or on the

street, you should not hold it against the attorney if he or she

does not acknowledge you or speak to you?

17. Has any member of the jury panel, or a relative or close

friend ever been employed by a law firm or other organization which

participates in the defense of criminal cases?

If so, please state their names, the type of law they practice

and the location of their practice.

If a relative was or is so employed, do you often discuss

their jobs with them?

18. Other than a traffic ticket, has any member of the jury

panel ever had an unpleasant experience involving law enforcement?

If so, please explain.

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19. Has any member of the jury panel, or a relative or close

friend, ever been a witness to a crime?

If so, what type of crime and when did it occur? Was the case

prosecuted?

Did you or your relative or close friend testify? With regard

to your participation in the case, was there anything in your

dealings with the police, the court, the prosecutor, or the defense

lawyer that left you unhappy or unsatisfied? Please elaborate.

What was the result? 

Were you satisfied with the result?

20. To admit to having some sympathy for the defendant or the

government in this case is nothing to be ashamed of and does not

reflect badly upon you as a person. However, both the government

and the defendant are entitled to have this case heard by a fair

and impartial jury that will decide the case solely according to

the evidence admitted in this Court and according to the Court’s

instructions on the law. The law provides that the jury may not be

governed by sympathy, prejudice, or public opinion. With this in

mind, do any of you have any reason why you would be unable to give

either the government or the defendant a fair trial based solely

upon the evidence admitted at the trial and the instructions given

by the Court? 

21. Do all of you realize that as a juror, in your

deliberations as to guilt, you must not consider any possible

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punishment?

22. The defendant may introduce evidence concerning his good

character. Do any of you believe that a person with a good

reputation could not commit a crime?

23. Have you or any of your friends or relatives ever had any

unfavorable association or dealings with the United States

Government? If so, who or what?

24. Do any of you have any convictions, whether they may be

moral, religious, philosophical or otherwise that would prevent

you from being a fair and impartial juror in this case or that

would prevent you from sitting in judgment of another person?

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