Opinion ID: 198984
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The District Court's Jury Screening Procedure

Text: 51 On September 3, 1997, the trial judge stated that he intended to screen the jury outside the presence of the parties and counsel, as he did in the related case United States v. Candelaria-Silva, 166 F.3d 19, 31 (1st Cir. 1999). There, the prospective jurors completed questionnaires and the judge excused those who lacked English proficiency, suffered from medical problems, or had previously scheduled travel plans. See id. at 29-31. On November 13, 1997, the judge screened the jury panel assigned to this case. Between September 3 and November 13, appellants did not object or request reconsideration of the court's intention to screen the jury. However, on November 17, Rosario-Rodriguez and Ortiz-Figueroa did object and moved to quash the panel. The district court denied the motion. 52 In Candelaria-Silva, we stated, [i]f a judge does no more than what a jury clerk is authorized to do in excusing jurors, that may raise an issue of impropriety. Id. at 31. Here, several appellants argue that the jury screening procedure violated their Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights, but they fail to provide the Court with any relevant citations to the record. In fact, appellants do not even allege that the district court improperly dismissed jurors. Accordingly, we hold that Candelaria-Silvacontrols, and therefore appellants' argument is without merit. See id. 53