Opinion ID: 2616865
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: equal protection selection of the grand jury

Text: The respondents next argue in support of the judgment that the grand jury was improperly selected. The grand jury was impaneled under the old statute which was repealed by the 1971 law. Respondents argue that the old statute was unconstitutional under the equal protection provisions of state and federal constitutions. RCW 10.28.010 and 10.28.030 provide for challenges to the panel (.010) and to individual jurors (.030) to be made by or on behalf of any person in custody or held to answer for an offense at the time of the selection of the grand jury. Respondents rely heavily upon the dissenting opinion in State v. Beck, 56 Wn.2d 474, 349 P.2d 387, 353 P.2d 429 (1960) and upon the dissenting opinions in Beck v. Washington, 369 U.S. 541, 8 L.Ed.2d 98, 82 S.Ct. 955 (1961). In referring to the opinion of Donworth, J. as a dissenting opinion it should be said the court was evenly divided in that case and thus affirmed. The opinion which favored reversal was, thus, called the dissenting opinion although it in fact was signed by four members of the court, the same number who signed the opinion referred to as the majority opinion. [7] Actually, we can gain little as authoritative precedent from the Beck cases. The case in this court was an affirmance by a four to four division, with one member of  the court disqualified. The United States Supreme Court declined to pass upon the matter, and it is mentioned only in dissenting opinions. An examination, however, of the dissenting opinion of Donworth, J. will show the dissimilarity between the Beck case and the case at bar. In Beck the grand jury was called especially to investigate the business dealings of Mr. Beck, a fact well known to the public and, obviously, to the members of the grand jury. He was just as much a specific subject of inquiry as would be a person in custody or held to answer for an offense. In the case now before the court, the grand jury was called for a more general investigation. The same problem, peculiar to the Beck case, was pointed out in the dissent of Black, J. in the Supreme Court of the United States. We must, therefore, resolve the problem with little help from the several opinions in the Beck cases. [8] We must start with the proposition that an act of the legislature is presumed valid and the burden is upon him who questions that validity. O'Connell v. Conte, 76 Wn.2d 280, 283, 456 P.2d 317 (1969); Boeing Co. v. State, 74 Wn.2d 82, 86, 442 P.2d 970 (1968). The respondents have not shown any unconstitutional discrimination. The grand jury in this case was not impaneled for a special purpose as was the grand jury in the Beck case. It was an almost opposite situation in which the purpose of the grand jury was to conduct a sweeping investigation of many public offices and officers, and of persons having dealings with such offices and officers. Under the circumstances herein it would obviously be impossible to know the identity of those whom the grand jury might in the future investigate. Under the circumstances of this case, therefore, there would be a valid basis for classification by the legislature to give a challenge to those being held to answer for a crime without giving such challenge to others. [9] Another reason compels the same result. The rule is well recognized that one may not question the validity of a statute if he is not adversely affected thereby. State v.  Lundquist, 60 Wn.2d 397, 374 P.2d 246 (1962); State v. Bowman, 57 Wn.2d 266, 356 P.2d 999 (1960). Herein the respondents were in no way adversely affected. No challenge was made by anyone at the formation of the grand jury. Therefore, the composition of the grand jury was not affected by existence of a right which was not exercised. Respondents do not have standing to question the constitutionality of the old statute. The old statute is mentioned because the provisions for challenge are eliminated from the 1971 act.