Opinion ID: 1798829
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: the trial court erred in establishing jurors' qualifications through prejudicial voir dire examination.

Text: We have attempted to discourage prolonged and confusing voir dire examinations of prospective jurors. Haynes v. State, 270 Ark. 685, 606 S.W.2d 563 (1980). In Haynes we stated the purpose of selecting a jury is to obtain a panel which will be fair and impartial to the accused as well as to the state. Therefore, any questioning done by the court should be very carefully phrased in order to prevent the members of the jury from feeling that the court wants them to decide one way or the other. Usually, there are enough prospective jurors present to form a petit jury without the necessity of going to great length or prolonged voir dire in attempting to rehabilitate a prospective juror. We agree that the judge cannot step from the bench to the aid of either party and that he must not unfairly limit the right of either party to voir dire the prospective jurors. However, there must be an end to questioning at some time and as soon as it is evident that a juror is qualified or disqualified the questioning should stop. We recognize that members of the jury probably look to the trial judge with more respect than any other party before them. To them his word is the law. West v. State, 255 Ark. 668, 501 S.W.2d 771 (1973). The only objection preserved for argument appears to be against the seating of juror Ann Bolling. At one time she stated: I think he should present his side of the story. She later stated she understood the state had the burden of proof. She was excused by the appellant. The burden is on the appellant to prove a juror's disqualification. Beed v. State, supra. We do not find anything in the abstract or argument to support the contention that the trial court exhibited prejudice or improperly rehabilitated any juror. Under these circumstances we do not find prejudicial error in this argument. XXI. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN QUALIFYING THE JURY FOR THE DEATH PENALTY. Before the voir dire of the prospective jurors the appellant moved the court to prohibit the state from death qualifying the panel. The motion was overruled. After the jury was seated, and the appellant had used all his peremptory challenges, his motion was renewed and rejected by the court. Therefore, the jury, as empanelled, was what has become known as the Witherspoon or death qualified jury. We have a great number of cases rejecting the argument that a death qualified jury is more apt to convict than a jury not so qualified. Lasley v. State, 274 Ark. 352, 625 S.W.2d 466 (1981); Ruiz & Van Denton v. State, 273 Ark. 94, 617 S.W.2d 6 (1981); and Gruzen v. State, 276 Ark. 149, 634 S.W.2d 92 (1982). We have held that it would be improper to select a jury panel which had agreed in advance to impose the maximum sentence. Haynes v. State, supra. On the other hand, we have stated that it was not error to excuse a venireman for cause when he unequivocally stated he could not vote for the death penalty. Ruiz & Van Denton v. State, supra. Therefore, we again hold that it is not error to select a jury which agrees in advance to consider the death penalty. XXII. OTHER ADVERSE RULINGS. We have searched the record in compliance with our Rule 11(f) and A.R.Cr.P. Rule 36.24 and Ark.Stat.Ann. § 43-2725 (Repl. 1977) and find no errors prejudicial to the rights of the appellant which have not been discussed in this opinion. Affirmed.