Opinion ID: 1308078
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: empaneling the jury

Text: When the clerk called the jury roll, four veniremen were not present. The court directed that their names be passed over and other names drawn, noting that there were 27 jurors present from which to draw a panel of 20. After voir dire, the parties exercised their strikes and the jury was sworn. The appellant then formally excepted to the panel, because of the unexplained absence of those jurors. He did not allege any prejudice, but said that he was entitled to a jury representing a cross-section of the community. The court found this objection to be speculative, and overruled the exception. Appellant now contends that the trial court's actions in effect allowed the State six strikes from the panel, and violated Rule XII, Trial Court Rules for Trial Courts of Record, because the reasons for the jurors' absence were not noted. He argues that the court should have held a hearing to determine why those jurors did not attend. We find no merit in any of these contentions. In syllabus point 2 of State v. Emblem, 46 W.Va. 326, 33 S.E. 223 (1899), we held: Where a panel of twenty jurors, free from exception, is completed from those in attendance for the trial of a criminal case, the objection that, previous to the making up of such panel, the court had excused from attendance certain jurors on the original venire for that term of the court is not tenable. Appellant does not allege that a panel of twenty jurors, free from exception, was not completed from those in attendance; nor does he contend that the State did anything to procure the absence of the veniremen. Therefore, we fail to see how passing over an absent juror's name in calling the panel could inure to the benefit of the State. T.C.R., Rule XII provides for the exclusion of names of jurors who have neglected to attend, without requiring an examination into the reasons for their absence. Finally, we are of the opinion that the appellant's exception came too late: A verdict will not be set aside for any irregularity in drawing, summoning or impaneling a jury unless properly objected to before the swearing of the jury or unless it is shown that the party making the objection was injured thereby. Syl. pt. 3, State v. Hankish, 147 W.Va. 123, 126 S.E.2d 42 (1962). Since the appellant has failed to show that he was injured by the omission of these jurors from the panel, we decline to disturb the judgment of the trial court.