Opinion ID: 1810649
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: failure to prevent jurors from being improperly excused

Text: ¶ 60. Crawford asserts that counsel was ineffective for failing to rehabilitate jurors who had stated that their opposition to the death penalty would either preclude them from being able to impose such punishment and/or would prevent them from rendering an impartial verdict. However, it is not ineffective assistance for counsel to fail to attempt rehabilitation of jurors when those jurors make it unmistakably clear that they could either not vote for the death penalty or that their attitude towards the death penalty would prevent them from making an impartial decision as to defendant's guilt. Smith v. Black, 904 F.2d 950, 978-79 (5th Cir.1990). In this case, voir dire showed the prospective jurors' clear and unequivocal denial of the ability to render the death penalty or to remain impartial in a death penalty case. Therefore, it was not ineffective assistance to fail to attempt to rehabilitate them.