Opinion ID: 196452
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Jury Procedures

Text: 36 Bartelho also argues that the district court erred by refusing to discharge the jury panel after another case's indictment, involving the same model of firearm and an identical witness, had already been read to the panel during voir dire and jury selection. According to Bartelho, these facts may have led the jury to associate him with the defendant who faced an unrelated trial on a more serious charge. Bartelho contends that he was thus denied a fair trial. 37 In empaneling a jury, a district court has a duty to determine the question of actual bias, and [ ] broad discretion in its rulings on challenges therefor. Dennis v. United States, 339 U.S. 162, 168, 70 S.Ct. 519, 521-22, 94 L.Ed. 734 (1950); see also Kotler v. American Tobacco Co., 926 F.2d 1217, 1228 (1st Cir.1990) (in absence of manifest juror prejudice, we will not set aside a judge's actions in empaneling a jury which [the judge] reasonably considers to be suitable and impartial). We review a trial judge's exercise of discretion in empaneling a jury for clear abuse. See, e.g., United States v. McCarthy, 961 F.2d 972, 976 (1st Cir.1992); United States v. Ploof, 464 F.2d 116, 118 n. 4 (2d Cir.1972). 38 Although we have been unable to find any cases squarely on point, prior cases in this circuit that address related issues lead us to reject Bartelho's argument. In United States v. Carranza, 583 F.2d 25 (1st Cir.1978), we adopted the following rule: 39 unless a specific showing of bias or prejudice is made, the fact that a juror sat in a prior case involving the same government witnesses and the same type of crime will not be grounds for disqualification per se unless the defendant is charged with an offense arising from the same transaction. 40 Id. at 28. Here, Bartelho has not made a specific showing of bias or prejudice. Furthermore, unlike in Carranza, his jurors neither heard the witnesses nor saw the evidence against the other defendant. Additionally, Bartelho's charge (being a felon-in-possession) and the other relevant defendant's charge (bank robbery) were not the same type of crime. Finally, the similarities between Bartelho's case and the one with which his jury was empaneled are insufficient. See, e.g., United States v. Morales-Diaz, 925 F.2d 535, 537 (1st Cir.1991) (rejecting argument of bias based on several jurors' prior service in a different case involving another Hispanic drug defendant). Thus, Bartelho has considerably less basis for an allegation of prejudice than the defendant in Carranza, who also failed to persuade this court. We note in passing that this court has previously emphasized the importance of caution under the Carranza rule in addressing challenges that threaten the judicial economy of multiple empanelment based on the negligible adverse effects of this system when properly handled, as here. United States v. Maraj, 947 F.2d 520, 525 (1st Cir.1991). 41 For these reasons, we find that the district court did not abuse its discretion by not discharging the panel. 42