Opinion ID: 1129349
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: Invalid Cause Challenges

Text: Lamarca's final claim is that his appellate counsel was ineffective for not challenging the trial court's decision to strike certain jurors for cause without explicitly providing the statutory basis for these cause challenges. Trial courts have broad discretion in deciding whether to strike a juror for cause. Busby v. State, 894 So.2d 88, 96 (Fla.2004) (requiring a trial court to excuse a juror for cause if any reasonable doubt exists regarding his ability to render an impartial recommendation as to punishment), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 125 S.Ct. 2976, 162 L.Ed.2d 906 (2005); Davis v. State, 859 So.2d 465, 473 (Fla.2003) (quoting Fernandez v. State, 730 So.2d 277, 281 (Fla.1999), for the proposition that [i]t is within a trial court's province to determine whether a challenge for cause is proper, and the trial court's determination of juror competency will not be overturned absent manifest error). Lamarca has failed to establish that the trial court abused its discretion here. While the court did not indicate which provision of section 913.03, Florida Statutes (1997), justified its decision to strike each juror, the court allowed the State and defense counsel the opportunity to object to the dismissals. Moreover, even if Lamarca is correct that the judge improperly dismissed these jurors, Lamarca has not shown he was prejudiced by this decision. In fact, one of the jurors whom Lamarca now contests was excused at defense counsel's request. This claim is without merit.