Opinion ID: 2508188
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Evidence of Potential Bias

Text: Davis claims the trial court erred by not allowing him to question several jurors and the State's investigator, Swanson, about possible bias or prejudice some jurors allegedly harbored against him. [94] As authority for his argument, Davis cites cases supporting a criminal defendant's Sixth Amendment right to cross-examine adverse witnesses to reveal possible bias or prejudice. [95] Davis contends he had a constitutional right to cross-examine these witnesses to establish bias or prejudice. [96] But, a personal restraint petition is a civil proceeding, [97] and none of the authority Davis cites supports his claim that he had a Sixth Amendment right to question witnesses at the reference hearing on the issue of bias. Furthermore, Davis has not established the witnesses were adverse. The trial court's refusal to permit questioning regarding bias was on direct examination of each of the witnesses. Davis contends that the trial court committed nonconstitutional error by refusing to allow him to present evidence on the issue of bias must also fail. The rules of evidence apply at a reference hearing. [98] The trial court has the obligation to control the mode and order of questioning witnesses. [99] This court reviews the trial court's evidentiary rulings for abuse of discretion. [100] A trial court abuses its discretion when its `decision is manifestly unreasonable, or is exercised on untenable grounds or for untenable reasons.'  [101] The only nonconstitutional reason Davis provides supporting his claim that the trial court erred by refusing to permit him to question witnesses about potential bias is that such questions were relevant to show their reluctance to admit seeing him in shackles. Davis provides no grounds to prove the trial court's decision was manifestly unreasonable or based on untenable grounds or reasons. Without such authority, Davis has not established the trial court abused its discretion.