Opinion ID: 2449917
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: State's Motions to Remove for Cause

Text: Hall claims that the trial court erred in sustaining the State's motion to remove Zereta Washington and Joann Kurland from the venirepanel. Cause for removal exists if a prospective juror's views on capital punishment would prevent or substantially impair the performance of [that person's] duties as a juror in accordance with [the jury] instructions and [the juror's] oath. Wainwright v. Witt, 469 U.S. 412, 424, 105 S.Ct. 844, 852, 83 L.Ed.2d 841 (1985) (quoting Adams v. Texas, 448 U.S. 38, 45, 100 S.Ct. 2521, 2526, 65 L.Ed.2d 581 (1980)). A prospective juror's qualifications are not conclusively determined by any single response, but from the entire voir dire examination. State v. Kreutzer, 928 S.W.2d 854, 866 (Mo. banc 1996); Brown, 902 S.W.2d at 285. As the trial court has the benefit of evaluating firsthand the demeanor and responses of each veniremember as the voir dire progresses, the trial court's ruling on whether a veniremember is committed to follow the law will not be disturbed absent a finding of abuse of discretion. Wainwright, 469 U.S. at 424-26, 105 S.Ct. at 852-54; Kreutzer, 928 S.W.2d at 866.
Hall insists that the trial court erred in removing Veniremember Washington as she told the court that she could follow the law and consider both life imprisonment and the death penalty. A review of the entire voir dire, however, reveals that Washington also stated, I just wouldn't feel comfortable taking someone else's life in my hands. I just couldn't do it. She then answered seven follow-up questions to the same effect. Hall's argument is conclusional, out of context, and fails to demonstrate that the court abused its discretion.
Hall did not include in his motion for new trial his contention that Veniremember Kurland was wrongly removed. As he failed to preserve the claim, this Court reviews her removal for plain error. State v. Harris, 870 S.W.2d 798, 806 (Mo. banc 1994). To receive plain error relief, the appellant must demonstrate that the action of the trial court was not only erroneous, but that the error so substantially impacted upon his rights that manifest injustice or a miscarriage of justice will result if the error is left uncorrected. State v. Hornbuckle, 769 S.W.2d 89, 92-93 (Mo. banc 1989). The only argument that Hall makes is that Kurland twice said that she could consider the death penalty. Eleven times Kurland expressed that she would have problems considering it. There was no error.