Opinion ID: 2189157
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Voir dire and the trial judge's initial instruction.

Text: At Braxton's trial, which began on May 3, 1999, and ended on May 6, the prosecution presented evidence consisting primarily of testimony by police officers, which, if credited by the jury, established that during the early morning hours of May 6, 1998, Braxton was in possession of a loaded sawed-off shotgun which he discarded on a window ledge while being pursued by the officers. Braxton presented no evidence. [5] On the first day of the trial, during the jury selection process, and before any evidence was presented, the trial judge posed a number of questions to the venire in order to elicit any potential juror bias. One of the judge's inquiries was whether there is any juror who believes that he would be inclined to give either more or less weight to the testimony of a witness just because that witness is a police officer. No member of the venire responded in the affirmative, and later on the same day, a jury was duly seated. On May 4, 1999, the second day of the trial, after both parties had rested, the trial judge delivered her charge to the jury. Her instructions included the following: A police officer's testimony should be considered by you just as any other evidence in the case. In evaluating the officer's credibility you should use the same guidelines which you apply to the testimony of any witness. In no event should you give either greater or lesser weight to the testimony of any witness merely because that witness is a police officer.[ [6] ] The jury began its deliberations at 11:20 a.m. on the following day, May 5, 1999.