Opinion ID: 2632203
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Voir Dire of Jury Panel.

Text: {18} During the jury selection process, the trial court conducted individual voir dire. In the course of that process, four potential jurors stated that their religious beliefs would not permit them to impose the death penalty, regardless of the circumstances. They were each excused for cause by the trial court. Defendant asserts that this was error, claiming that the four prospective jurors were struck because of their religious beliefs and that this exclusion was improper under the United States and New Mexico constitutions. See U.S. Const. amends. VI, N.M. Const. art. II, §§ 5, 11, 12, 14, 18; N.M. Const. art. VII, § 3. He claims that his constitutional right to an impartial jury and the constitutional rights of the jurors to serve on a jury were violated. {19} The decision whether to excuse prospective jurors for cause rests within the sound discretion of the trial court and is reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard. State v. Hernandez, 115 N.M. 6, 22, 846 P.2d 312, 328 (1993) (stating that deference is given to the trial court's decision, because that court is in the best position to assess prospective jurors). This Court has previously considered the issue of whether individuals opposed to the death penalty on the basis of their religious beliefs may be excused for cause from capital penalty cases. State v. Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, ¶¶ 82-86, 128 N.M. 482, 994 P.2d 728; State v. Clark, 1999-NMSC-035, ¶¶ 11-17, 128 N.M. 119, 990 P.2d 793; State v. Simonson, 100 N.M. 297, 300, 669 P.2d 1092, 1095 (1983); State v. Hutchinson, 99 N.M. 616, 620, 661 P.2d 1315, 1319 (1983). We rejected similar arguments in those cases and are not persuaded by Defendant's argument to change our position. {20} During voir dire, the four jurors had responded that they could not vote to impose the death penalty regardless of the evidence presented at trial or the trial court's instruction on the law. We conclude that the trial court properly excluded four jurors who could not follow either the jury instructions or their oath; the jurors were not excused on the basis of their religious principles. See Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, ¶ 86, 128 N.M. 482, 994 P.2d 728 (holding that trial court did not err in excusing jurors for cause when they would automatically oppose the death penalty); Clark, 1999-NMSC-035, ¶ 16, 128 N.M. 119, 990 P.2d 793 (holding that trial court properly removed jurors who could not view the proceedings impartially and perform their duties in accordance with the juror's oath).