Opinion ID: 1604196
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: the trial court erred in denying individual sequestered voir dire.

Text: Chase contends that he moved prior to trial to be allowed individual sequestered voir dire based on the extensive publicity surrounding the case. There is no motion or request for individual sequestered voir dire found in the record. The references by Chase to the record are to a motion for additional peremptory challenges and the court's ruling denying this motion. Nowhere is there mention of individual sequestered voir dire. Again, defense counsel raised no objection prior to the impanelling of the jury. Since Chase never requested individual sequestered voir dire, he is precluded from raising this claim on appeal. A trial court cannot be put in error on a matter not presented to the court for decision. Jones v. State, 606 So.2d 1051, 1058 (Miss. 1992); Crenshaw v. State, 520 So.2d 131, 134-135 (Miss. 1988). Alternatively, the procedure for conducting voir dire in criminal cases is governed by Rule 5.02, Miss.Unif.Crim.R.Cir.Ct.Prac. (1992), which provides: In the voir dire examination of jurors, the attorney shall direct to the entire venire questions only on matters not inquired into by the court. Individual jurors may be examined only when proper to inquire as to answers given or for other good cause allowed by the court. No hypothetical questions requiring any juror to pledge a particular verdict will be asked. This Court has held that Rule 5.02 does allow a court, in its discretion, to use individual sequestered voir dire. However, Rule 5.02 does not require more than what its terms require. Russell v. State, 607 So.2d 1107, 1110 (Miss. 1992); Hansen v. State, 592 So.2d 114, 126 (Miss. 1991). The lower court in this case would have been within its discretion to deny individual sequestered voir dire if such a request had been made. This assignment is procedurally barred and, alternatively, without merit.