Opinion ID: 170677
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Is Mr. House entitled to habeas relief because the trial court failed to voir dire potential Taos County jurors prior to transferring venue?

Text: Mr. House argues that the trial court violated his Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment rights when it transferred venue without ascertaining, through voir dire, whether potential jurors were actually prejudiced instead presuming that, after two mistrials, a fair and impartial jury could not be seated in Taos County. The New Mexico Supreme Court, reversing the New Mexico Court of Appeals, held that neither the New Mexico constitution, statutes, nor case law requires that a venue change should be supported by proof of actual prejudice through voir dire. House I, 978 P.2d at 984. Moreover, the New Mexico Supreme Court determined that the trial court had not abused its discretion when, after conducting an extensive evidentiary hearing, it found that it was improbable that a fair and impartial jury could be assembled at that time in Taos County. Id. at 990. Although Mr. House conflates his arguments concerning legal and factual error, we analyze them separately. First, Mr. House alleges that it is clearly established federal law that voir dire is required before granting a change of venue on the grounds that the entire venire is prejudiced. Consequently, he argues that the New Mexico Supreme Court's decision was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable application of, this clearly established federal law. As explained supra, a claim of legal error is governed by § 2254(d)(1). Second, Mr. House alleges that the trial court's presumption of prejudice was an unreasonable determination of the facts in light of the evidence. Because this claim asserts a factual error, we analyze it under § 2254(d)(2).