Opinion ID: 1096608
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Grant of Cause Challenge to Prospective Juror Aguirregaviria

Text: In his second claim, Conde alleges the trial court erred in granting the State's motion to strike for cause prospective juror Aguirregaviria on the basis of her views about capital punishment. After hearing arguments by both sides, the trial court granted the motion, stating: This juror has expressed some reasonable doubt about her ability to serve in a death penalty case just by her equivocal responses. It is clear that it is not just deep concern, it is deep doubt that the Court registered from her responses. Indeed, Aguirregaviria herself stated that she did not support the death penalty and repeatedly expressed significant doubt as to whether she would ever be able to recommend the death penalty, stating that she might consider the death penalty only after defense counsel provided extreme examples, such as the torture and mutilation of a small child. Based upon the consistently equivocal voir dire answers given by this juror, we do not find the court erred in striking her for cause. See Morrison v. State, 818 So.2d 432, 442 (Fla.), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 957, 123 S.Ct. 406, 154 L.Ed.2d 308 (2002); Fernandez v. State, 730 So.2d 277, 281 (Fla.1999); Foster v. State, 679 So.2d 747, 752 (Fla.1996).