Opinion ID: 1855709
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Prospective juror Shropshire

Text: Finally, defendant contends the trial court improperly granted the State's challenge for cause based on prospective juror Shropshire's views on the death penalty. In support of this argument, he cites the following excerpts: Q. Would it be fair to say that you would have to listen to the evidence that the state would have to see whether or not you could give capital punishment in a case? A. Correct. Q. If you felt in your heart as a citizen of East Baton Rouge Parish that the State of Louisiana has proved to you, you believe, in your heart, in your soul, that the only proper penalty because of the evidence that was presented to you could you vote that penalty if you felt that the only proper penalty is death? Could you vote back in the jury room for death? A. Well, if it's proven with enough evidence. Q. If they have enough evidence? A. If they have the evidence. Q. Mr. Shropshire, when you told me that you couldn't return a capital punishment verdict against this defendant you were telling me the truth, weren't you? A. I was telling you the truth. Q. You could not, could you? A. If there's enough evidence. Q. Could you no matter what evidence, could you personally give a verdict that would mean that this defendant was lethally injected and out to death? A. Well, I don't agree on it. Q. You don't believe you could? A. No, sir. Q. You believe you have reservations that were substantial enough that it could impair you from being able to give him capital punishment? A. Well, if enough evidence prevailed maybe' I could change my plea, you know, but under the circumstances. Q. But you really don't believe in the death penalty, do you? A. I don't believe in the death penalty. Q. Thoseyour belief against the death penalty could interfere with your being totally fair on the death penalty? A. That's true. We note initially that this last exchange plainly shows how Shropshire's views of the death penalty could substantially impair his ability to make an impartial decision in accordance with his duties and oath as a juror, as he frankly admitted that these views could prevent him from being totally fair on this issue. This was not, however, the only exchange in which Shropshire's personal views about the death penalty became obvious. Shropshire failed to fill out the last two pages of the jury questionnaire, which included a question on the respondent's feelings about the death penalty. When asked how he would have answered this question, the following exchange ensued: A. Well, I don't believe in capital punishment, for one thing. Q. I'm sorry? A. I don't believe in capital punishment, for one thing. Q. Is this a truly held belief? It's not just a ploy to get out of jury service? A. No, sir. No, sir, It's true. Q. Is it a strongly held belief? A. Strong, yes. Q. So you could not return a death verdict against this defendant? A. Well, I don't believe in capital punishment. Q. Okay. You couldn't return a capital punishment against this defendant, then; is that correct, sir? A. That's correct. Q. Not under any circumstances? A. Not under any circumstances. Later, although admitting that he could give the death penalty to Timothy McVeigh, Shropshire maintained that, in this particular case, the most he could give this particular defendant was life in prison or something like that. Shropshire then reiterated that I still say I don't believe in capital punishment. The trial court granted the State's challenge, and the defense lodged an objection. After reviewing the entire record of the voir dire examination of Shropshire, we cannot say the trial court abused its discretion in granting the challenge. Although a few of Shropshire's answers, when read in isolation from the remainder of his examination, paint him as an acceptable juror, the record when read as a whole shows that he adamantly believed capital punishment was wrong and that these beliefs prevented him from being an impartial juror. This assignment of error thus lacks merit as to prospective juror Shropshire.