Opinion ID: 2616147
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: intimidating atmosphere

Text: Appellant contends also that the trial court created an atmosphere in which potential jurors were intimidated and afraid to express bias and prejudice which resulted in his being denied a fair trial. The majority recognizes the potential for this occurring when in its opinion it states: In this case the judge also made unnecessary comments such as his final statement to Peterson and his comment that VonGuten was not `thinking well.' and We are constrained to express our concern about intemperate remarks by members of the trial bench in connection with voir dire examination. While it may not be likely that such remarks would deprive a party of his right to a fair and impartial jury, that possibility cannot be completely discounted. Inevitably they will provide a basis for an appeal complaining of such conduct. The court then concludes that potential jurors were not intimidated because four of the next ten expressed their concerns about serving as jurors. But what of the other six jurors? Can we ever know how they might have responded to voir dire questions in a more free and open atmosphere? There are many jurors who are not assertive enough to overcome the kind of judicial pressure exerted in this case. The following statements from Justice Rose's dissent in Gresham v. State, supra, 708 P.2d at 57, 59, are apropos: When the voir dire procedure penalizes open and honest responses from venire persons, no meaningful exploration of biases and prejudices can occur, and the right of the accused to a fair trial is thwarted.       While we cannot know with certainty that one or more of these individuals harbored feelings and opinions inconsistent with a fair trial, neither can we say that none of the jurors held such biases. Appellant in this situation was denied the meaningful exercise of his peremptory challenges as well as his challenges for cause. Accordingly, the voir-dire process failed to serve its intended purpose of insuring appellant a trial before unbiased and unprejudiced jurors. The majority also excuses the trial court's intimidating conduct, to the extent it affected appellant's peremptory challenges, by clinging to the illogical rule that the only purpose of voir dire is to discover grounds for challenges for cause. As I stated in my dissent in Jahnke v. State, supra, 682 P.2d at 1047: Common sense tells us that peremptory challenges were intended to provide an additional safeguard to the required fair trial. They cannot be exercised in a vacuum or by guess and conjecture, and accomplish this purpose. The litigants, therefore, should have as full knowledge as possible of prospective jurors to permit an intelligent decision in the selection process. My view is supported by many authorities. For example, § 15-2.4 of the American Bar Association Standards for Criminal Justice (2nd ed. 1982) states: A voir dire examination should disclose grounds for challenge for cause and facilitate intelligent exercise of peremptory challenges.  (Emphasis added.) See also State v. Peacher, W. Va., 280 S.E.2d 559 (1981); State v. Brown, Mo., 547 S.W.2d 797 (1977).