Opinion ID: 1844705
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: hypothetical questioning by the state during voir dire

Text: During voir dire, the State asked prospective jurors hypothetical questions as to whether they had ever seen a person that they thought they knew, called out his name, and discovered that the person was actually someone else. This was followed by inquiry into whether they would consider all the circumstances surrounding eyewitness identification testimony or simply unquestioningly accept it. These inquiries, Miller argues, were a tactic used to undermine one of his witnesses in advance. However, both parties presented eyewitness identification testimony at trial. Latitude allowed to counsel in voir dire of prospective jurors rests largely in the trial court's discretion. State v. Muetze, 368 N.W.2d 575, 584 (S.D.1985). Here, questions were asked as to whether the jurors could base their decision on the testimony and evidence and did not concern ultimate issues to be tried. While prospective jurors may not be questioned with respect to hypothetical sets of facts expected to be proved at trial, thus committing them to a decision in advance, they may be subjected to hypothetical questions about their mental attitude toward certain types of evidence. Hobbs v. State, 277 Ark. 271, 275-76, 641 S.W.2d 9, 12 (1982) (approving the prosecution's hypothetical probing of juror attitudes toward circumstantial evidence). See also Hobbs v. Lockhart, 791 F.2d 125 (8th Cir.1986) (where appellant Hobbs unsuccessfully raised the same issue). Here, where the jurors were not asked for a premature decision on a set of facts, the trial court did not abuse its discretion.