Opinion ID: 1138767
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: abuse of discretion in denying individual voir dire of venire

Text: During voir dire, Sanchez' counsel asked the court to permit him to ask potential jurors specific questions about their knowledge of the case and the families involved. This questioning was needed, it is alleged, because the victim's parents had been part of the venire and because the community from which potential jurors were drawn was small and the crime notorious. After a hearing in which the court ascertained from both attorneys that there had been no evidence of jury tampering, the court denied the defense motion for limited and individual voir dire. Sanchez alleges error because the victim's parents, excused from jury duty for cause, were permitted to stay in the courtroom during questioning, thus, it is contended, to influence the emotions of potential jurors and prevent them from giving impartial answers to general questions. Further, the victim's mother approached a potential juror in the hall of the courthouse and made a comment which the potential juror took to be an attempt at improper influence. The potential juror was excused for cause and the victim's parents were admonished not to speak to any other potential juror. The State argues that the defense motion to examine potential jurors individually did not include a request that the victim's parents be removed from the venire. Further, after the victim's mother had approached the potential juror in the hall, the court convened the panel to ask if anyone on the panel had heard or discussed anything with anyone outside of the courtroom that would affect his or her opinion of the case. No one on the panel said they had had such a communication. The court then allowed each attorney to follow up with questions, but neither did so. Defense counsel did not renew his motion for limited voir dire at this time or at trial. Neither at trial nor on appeal does Sanchez show how he has been prejudiced by the court's conduct with respect to voir dire. See State v. Segotta, 100 N.M. 18, 23, 665 P.2d 280, 285 (Ct.App. 1983) (record must affirmatively show that defendant was not tried by a fair and impartial jury); State v. Coates, 103 N.M. 353, 358, 707 P.2d 1163, 1168 (1985) (mere speculation on defendant's part that his right to an impartial jury was violated will not suffice to show that the trial court abused its discretion in not granting a mistrial). Here no affirmative showing has been made that Sanchez was not tried by a fair and impartial jury, and, far from moving for a mistrial, Sanchez' counsel at trial neither objected to the court's conduct nor availed himself of the opportunity to question the panel following the court's making it available for questioning. For the foregoing reasons, we find that Sanchez suffered no error in his conviction. Accordingly, the judgment and sentence of the court is affirmed. IT IS SO ORDERED. MONTGOMERY, J., concurs. RANSOM, J., specially concurs.