Opinion ID: 2257779
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Alleged Jury-Related Errors

Text: Defendant argues that the court committed reversible error when selecting the jury. Specifically, defendant contends that the court erred in excusing five potential jurors because of their anti-death-penalty views and by seating two jurors whose pro-death-penalty views impaired their ability to weigh the aggravating and mitigating evidence impartially. On reviewing defendant's claims and the individual voir dire of the challenged jurors, we conclude that the court did not abuse its discretion in its decisions regarding these prospective jurors. See DiFrisco II, supra, 137 N.J. at 459, 645 A. 2d 734 (noting that trial courts possess considerable discretion in determining the qualifications of prospective jurors); State v. Martini, 131 N.J. 176, 219, 619 A. 2d 1208 (1993) ( Martini I ) (same). During voir dire, the five excused jurors expressed doubts about their ability to impose the death sentence on even a death-eligible defendant. See Feaster, supra, 156 N.J. at 55, 716 A. 2d 395 (upholding dismissal of juror who expressed doubts over whether she could vote for a death sentence); Harris, supra, 156 N.J. at 167-69, 716 A. 2d 458 (same); Martini I, supra, 131 N.J. at 217-19, 619 A. 2d 1208 (same). The two jurors seated by the court did not say anything suggesting that they would automatically impose the death penalty on a guilty defendant or that they could not evaluate the aggravating and mitigating factors fairly. Defendant, moreover, did not exercise five of his twenty allotted peremptory challenges. He could have excused the jurors whose qualifications he now disputes. Indeed, defendant argues his trial counsel was ineffective in failing to exercise the peremptory challenges against those jurors. On this record, the argument is premature. Defendant may raise the argument again on post-conviction relief. See Preciose, supra, 129 N.J. at 460, 609 A. 2d 1280; Dixon, supra, 125 N.J. at 261-62, 593 A. 2d 266. The dissent argues that the trial court's voir dire concerning possible racial bias was insufficiently rigorous for a case involving a black defendant and a white victim. Post at 484-86, 715 A. 2d at 279-80. Defendant, however, has not raised that issue before the trial court or this Court. Nothing, moreover, indicates that any juror was racially biased. Absent any evidence, we decline to presume racial bias in the jury.
Defendant also argues that the jury discussed the case before deliberations, in violation of the court's instructions, thereby denying him an impartial jury. Defendant bases this argument on the fact that the jury, just before the guilt-phase summations, sent a note to the court asking why defendant did not swear before the court that his testimony would be truthful. In response, the court noted that defendant's personal religious beliefs precluded him from swearing an oath. It explained that defendant's affirmation was the equivalent to an oath. This exchange between the court and jury does not suggest that the jurors had begun deliberations prematurely.