Opinion ID: 1060730
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Group Voir Dire

Text: The trial judge denied defendant's request for individual voir dire on all issues except pre-trial publicity and views on the death penalty. Defendant cites three (3) instances during group voir dire when jurors stated they would be unable to follow the law. He contends he was prejudiced by group voir dire. All of these jurors were ultimately excused for cause. The trial court's authority to question jurors individually is permissive, not mandatory. State v. Hutchison, 898 S.W.2d 161, 167 (Tenn.1994), cert. denied 516 U.S. 846, 116 S.Ct. 137, 133 L.Ed.2d 84 (1994). It is only where there is a significant possibility that jurors have been exposed to potentially prejudicial material that individual voir dire is mandated. State v. Cazes, 875 S.W.2d at 262. Our review of the record does not indicate any prejudice to the defendant as a result of group voir dire. The three (3) instances related by the defendant did not result in prejudicial information being imparted to other jurors. This issue is without merit.