Opinion ID: 1831969
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Whether the trial court erred and abused its discretion by striking two African-American jurors for cause for a lack of transportation and striking two African-American jurors for cause for failure to disclose collection efforts by the clinic employing Dr. Beckham.

Text: ¶ 7. A circuit judge has wide discretion in determining whether to excuse any prospective juror, including one challenged for cause. The circuit judge has an absolute duty, however, to see that the jury selected to try any case is fair, impartial and competent. Ill. Cent. R.R. v. Hawkins, 830 So.2d 1162, 1176 (Miss. 2002). See also Brown ex rel. Webb v. Blackwood, 697 So.2d 763, 769 (Miss.1997); Poe v. State, 739 So.2d 405, 409 (Miss.Ct. App.1999) (the trial court has wide latitude in deciding whether to excuse a potential juror, including an exclusion for cause). ¶ 8. The trial judge has discretion in determining whether to excuse a juror, and such decision will not be set aside unless it is clearly wrong. Wells v. State, 698 So.2d 497, 501 (Miss.1997). Because the trial judge, due to his presence during the voir dire process, is in a better position to evaluate the prospective juror's responses, the decision of whether or not to excuse the juror is left to the trial judge's discretion. Smith v. State, 802 So.2d 82, 86 (Miss.2001) (quoting Wells v. State, 698 So.2d 497, 501 (Miss.1997)). ¶ 9. The Ventons argue that the trial court abused its discretion by striking for cause two jurors with transportation problems. The two jurors were African-American females, Carol Eanes (Eanes) and Diane Washington (Washington). Additionally, the Ventons argue that the trial court abused its discretion by striking for cause Shirley Grigsby (Grigsby) and Evelyn Williams (Williams). These two jurors, also African-American females, were struck because they had been patients at Dr. Beckham's clinic and failed to disclose that their accounts had been in collection. The Ventons argue that the exclusion of these four venire persons was irrational and on the basis of race, sex, and economic condition.
¶ 10. During voir dire, the trial judge became aware that venire persons Washington and Eanes had transportation difficulties. The following pertinent exchanges occurred: Q. Thank you. Ms. Allison, did you say that you had transportation problems? A. Yes. Q. Difficulty in getting acknowledge [sic] and forth to court? A. Yes. Q. You understand that this case might lastwill probably last for three days and end up sometime Wednesday? A. Yes. Q. And on your own you simply don't have a way to get back and forth? A. No, sir. I ride to work with another guy. Q. Mr. Ledbetteroh, what's your name, ma'am? A. (Carol Eanes) Carol Eanes. Q. Ms. Eanes? A. Yes, sir. (Inaudible) THE COURT: Can't hear her. A. Carol Eanes. Q. You cannot be here tomorrow? A. No. Q. And for what reason? A. I have transportation problems. Later the trial judge stated: The Court: Betty Thomas, who has to take the child to New Orleans to school, I'm going to excuse her. The two ladies [Washington and Eanes] that don't have a ride, if we have enough after we get through the cause challenges, I'm going to excuse them, But I'm notif we need them, I'm going to leave them on there and I'll just figure out a way to get them a ride. When the challenges for cause were complete, the trial court stated the following: The Court: I'm going to excuse Washington and Eanes because they have no transportation. ¶ 11. The Ventons provide no case law that prohibits excusing a juror for cause on the basis of a lack of transportation. Both Eanes and Washington volunteered to the trial judge that they had transportation problems. This trial was not a one-day event, rather it lasted for three days. What is more, there is no evidence to show that the Ventons were prejudiced by striking the two women for cause. This Court has held that the selection of jurors is `a judgment call peculiarly within the province of the circuit judge, and one we will not on appeal second guess in the absence of a record showing a clear abuse of discretion.' Brown, 697 So.2d at 771 (quoting Scott v. Ball, 595 So.2d 848, 850 (Miss.1992)). The Ventons, however, complain that all four African-American females (i.e., Eanes, Washington, Grigsby, and Williams), were removed from the venire panel in a suit involving obstetrical treatment of a woman. There is no indication that the Ventons were denied a fair, impartial and competent jury of their peers. In Carr v. State, 655 So.2d 824, 840 (Miss.1995), this Court held that [t]here is no constitutional right to have a jury mirror any particular community. Proportional representation of the races on a jury is not required. Harris v. State, 576 So.2d 1262, 1264 (Miss.1991) (citing Booker v. State, 449 So.2d 209, 215 (Miss.1984)). What is required is that county officials must see to it that jurors are in fact and in good faith selected without regard to race. Dorsey v. State, 243 So.2d 550, 551 (Miss.1971). See also Grayson v. State, 736 So.2d 394, 396 (Miss.Ct. App.1999). The Ventons are not entitled to a jury that mirrors any particular community, gender, or proportional representation of race. The Ventons are entitled to a fair, impartial, and competent jury. Here, the jury consisted of seven African-Americans and five caucasians which had seven females and five males. Thus, the Ventons had a seated jury with a majority of females and a majority of African-Americans. Accordingly, we find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in striking Eanes and Washington for cause.
¶ 12. The Ventons argue that the trial court abused its discretion by striking venire persons Grigsby and Williams for stating that they had no problems with medical expenses. The inquiry, according to the Ventons, was too broad and vague. In addition, the Ventons complain that Dr. Beckham did not inform them which venire members were subject to collection efforts by his employer. ¶ 13. During voir dire, Dr. Beckham's counsel asked the following question to patients of the clinic employing Dr. Beckham: Q. Anything about the relationship that would impact on yourlet me ask this question once. When we identify y'all that have been patients of these doctors, my question is going to be is there anything about that relationship whether if was how did [sic], the way that doctor treated you, your bill, anything of that anything of any sort that would cause you difficulty in serving on this case. (emphasis added). Both Grigsby and Williams stated no to the inquiry. The trial judge struck Grigsby for cause because she failed to disclose that there was a problem with the bill, (i.e., it was turned over for collection efforts). The trial judge also struck Williams for the same reason. When the trial judge struck both Grigsby and Williams he stated that he specifically remembered Dr. Beckham's counsel questioning them. However, the trial judge denied Dr. Beckham's request to strike four other venire persons for a failure to disclose the billing situation. The trial judge ruled that Dr. Beckham's counsel had not asked these other four venire persons adequate questions and denied the challenges. In fact, one of the four venire persons sat on the jury and two others were the alternate jurors in this case. Evelyn Smutzer testified before the court concerning accounts receivable documents and gave the names of each venire person that had an account turned over for collection efforts. ¶ 14. The trial judge did not abuse his discretion in striking Grigsby and Williams. Both women had been former patients at the clinic where Dr. Beckham worked, and both women had problems with the bills and failed to disclose this fact to the trial court. The trial judge specifically remembered that Dr. Beckham's counsel had made adequate inquiry concerning these two women. However, the trial judge denied challenges for cause for other venire persons similarly situated because the judge determined that there was not enough specific inquiry by counsel. We cannot say that the trial judge abused his discretion by striking these women for cause. Accordingly, this issue is without merit.