Opinion ID: 877639
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: presence during peremptory challenge

Text: Hart claims that her absence during the final stage of jury selection violated her due process rights and confrontation rights under the constitution. Specifically, she contends that she had a constitutionally guaranteed right to be present during the peremptory challenges of the jury. In making this argument, Hart cites Snyder v. Massachusetts (1934), 291 U.S. 97, 54 S.Ct. 330, 78 L.Ed. 674, for the proposition that a defendant has a right to be present at all stages of the proceedings where fundamental fairness might be thwarted by her absence. See State v. Peters (1965), 146 Mont. 188, 405 P.2d 642. This Court has held that a defendant's rights are not violated when the matters handled during his or her absence were purely legal. State v. Peters, supra. Hart argues, however, that the peremptory challenges stage of pretrial proceedings is not a purely legal exercise. She cites an Idaho decision as persuasive authority for the rule that voir dire jury selection process is a vital stage of the proceedings at which defendant's presence is essential. Idaho v. Carver (1972), 94 Idaho 677, 496 P.2d 676. Finally, defendant also contends that her failure to object or protest her absence did not result in a waiver of the right. (See State v. Reed (1922), 65 Mont. 51, 210 P. 756, wherein we held that the right to be present at all crucial stages of the proceedings is a nonwaivable right.) We are of the opinion, however, that the act of peremptorily challenging the jury is a wholly legal exercise and defendant's absence from that stage of the proceedings is in no way violative of defendant's rights. Idaho v. Carver, supra, is not properly relied on by defendant. In that case, defendant was not present at any time during the selection of the jury that ultimately tried him. In this case, however, the record reflects that Hart was absent only during the peremptory challenges. Although defendant's presence may be crucial during the voir dire questioning of the jury, the act of the peremptory challenge of jurors is a pro forma execution of the decisions formulated during questioning. The absence of defendant was not injurious to either her right of due process or her right of confrontation.