Opinion ID: 528874
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Count Eight: Exclusion of Prospective Jurors

Text: 50 Deutscher contends that jurors were improperly excluded from his jury despite their willingness to impose the death penalty in the proper circumstances. Deutscher was not prejudiced by his counsel's failure to raise this claim. If the claim had been brought, a reviewing court would have affirmed. 51 A juror may be excluded when the juror's scruples against the death penalty would prevent or substantially impair the performance of his duties as a juror in accordance with his instructions and his oath. Gray v. Mississippi, 481 U.S. 648, 658, 107 S.Ct. 2045, 2051, 95 L.Ed.2d 622 (1987) (quoting Wainwright v. Witt, 469 U.S. 412, 424, 105 S.Ct. 844, 852, 83 L.Ed.2d 841 (1985)). Juror bias is a factual finding entitled to a presumption of correctness under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2254(d). Wainwright v. Witt, 469 U.S. at 428-29, 105 S.Ct. at 854-55. Thus, the question before a reviewing court is not whether the court agrees with the trial court's findings, but whether those findings are fairly supported by the record. Id. at 434, 105 S.Ct. at 857 (citing Marshall v. Lonberger, 459 U.S. 422, 432, 103 S.Ct. 843, 849, 74 L.Ed.2d 646 (1983)). 52 The trial court's finding that jurors Gossard and Norris were properly excluded is supported by the record. Both jurors said during voir dire that they could not impose the death penalty under any circumstances. Q. (Mr. Ahlswede) 53 So you are saying that you could never under any circumstances at any time impose a death penalty on an individual, no matter how awful the crime was? A. (Juror Gossard) 54 I never been able to since a few things happened in my life. I just--I just couldn't do it. 55