Opinion ID: 1511350
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bias Against People Charged with OUI

Text: [¶ 9] The court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to ask questions about whether any jurors or their families or friends had been in accidents involving a drunk driver. The court explained to the jurors the nature of the charged offenses including the OUI charge. The court then asked the potential jurors whether they had any personal beliefs that would prevent them from hearing the evidence fairly, and whether there was any reason the jurors could not act impartially in light of the issues in the case. Although the court's questions were generalized, they were sufficient to reveal any bias. See State v. Lambert, 528 A.2d 890, 892 (Me.1987) (court did not abuse its discretion by refusing to allow defendant to question jurors about antihomosexual bias when court's initial questioning was adequate to reveal such bias).