Opinion ID: 2640649
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Waiver of the Challenge for Cause

Text: As a threshold matter, we address whether defense counsel waived Ma's right to challenge the prospective juror for cause by declining an initial opportunity to do so. Ma maintains that defense counsel was uninformed and unaware that his initial refusal to challenge the prospective juror would preclude him from making such a challenge after further questioning. In contrast, the People argue that defense counsel waived Ma's right to make the challenge by failing to pursue the matter when the grounds for making the challenge were first raised. A challenge for cause is waived if counsel fails to use reasonable diligence during jury selection to determine whether the grounds for such a challenge exist. People v. Lewis, 180 Colo. 423, 428, 506 P.2d 125, 127 (1973). The test for reasonable diligence is whether counsel took the opportunity to adequately question a prospective juror. Brown v. People, 20 Colo. 161, 165, 36 P. 1040, 1042 (1894). Although the determination that a waiver was valid is largely within the discretion of the trial court, see People ex rel. Peters v. District Court, 951 P.2d 926, 931 (Colo.1998), the record in this case lacks the information necessary for us to find a waiver. After the prospective juror stated that he was an Army military police reservist, the trial court commented that the term law enforcement agency is unclear. It then asked whether either party wanted to make a challenge for cause. It did not ask if either party wanted to question the potential juror further. Nor did it state that this was the parties' only chance to make such a challenge. In response to the trial court's question, the prosecutor said that he did not want to make a challenge at this time. Defense counsel replied that he did not want to make a challenge either. Eventually, when it was the defense's turn to question the prospective juror, defense counsel asked him about his job as an Army military police reservist. It was at that time that defense counsel challenged the prospective juror for cause. It is clear that defense counsel initially declined the opportunity to challenge the prospective juror for cause. It is unclear, however, that defense counsel's decision constituted a waiver. When the grounds for making the challenge were first raised, defense counsel did not ask the prospective juror any questions. But, when it was defense counsel's turn to question the prospective juror, defense counsel raised the issue again. Because defense counsel eventually questioned the prospective juror regarding the grounds for making the challenge, we cannot conclude that defense counsel failed to use reasonable diligence unless the record is clear that defense counsel was aware that his initial opportunity to challenge the prospective juror would be his only opportunity to do so. The record is unclear on this point. Hence, we hold that the record is insufficient to support the conclusion that defense counsel waived Ma's right to challenge the prospective juror for cause under section 16-10-103(1)(k).