Opinion ID: 1636806
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Use of Religious Tests

Text: Prior to trial, the Appellant filed a motion requesting that the court prohibit the use of religious tests during jury selection. He argued that the removal for cause of prospective jurors who oppose the imposition of the death penalty because of sincerely held religious, moral or philosophical beliefs violates Article I, section 6 of the Tennessee Constitution. He further asserted that the question, whether the juror's `sincerely held' religious, moral, or philosophical beliefs would preclude them from following their oath as jurors, violates Article I, sections 3, 4, 6, 8, and 17 and Article XI, section 8 of the Tennessee Constitution. Indeed, the Appellant argued that the only inquiry which is constitutionally permissible when a prospective juror expresses an opposition to the death penalty upon religious, moral or philosophical grounds is that of determining whether the belief is sincerely held. The trial court denied the Appellant's motion. The Appellant now contends that this denial was error. A person otherwise competent may not be disqualified as a juror because of his or her religious beliefs. In other words, no religious test shall be put forth to the person. Religious tests probe religious beliefs. See Wolf v. Sundquist, 955 S.W.2d 626, 631 (Tenn.App.), perm. to appeal denied, (Tenn.1997) (citing Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488, 494, 81 S.Ct. 1680, 1683, 6 L.Ed.2d 982 (1961); Paty v. McDaniel, 547 S.W.2d 897, 908 (Tenn.1977), rev'd on other grounds, 435 U.S. 618, 98 S.Ct. 1322, 55 L.Ed.2d 593 (1978)). For example, a person may not be excluded from jury service because of their lack of belief in a Supreme Being nor may a judge coerce a prospective juror to take an oath which includes a reference to God where the prospective juror is an atheist. See generally 47 AM.JUR. 2d, Jury § 177 (1995). However, the exclusion by a trial court of prospective jurors because of their moral or religious-based reluctance to impose the death penalty is not error. In this regard, potential jurors are removed for cause not because of their religious opinion or affiliation but because the jurors are unable to view the proceedings impartially and perform their duties in accordance with the juror's oath. See generally State v. Jones, 789 S.W.2d 545, 547 (Tenn.), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 908, 111 S.Ct. 280, 112 L.Ed.2d 234 (1990); State v. Bobo, 727 S.W.2d 945, 949 (Tenn.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 872, 108 S.Ct. 204, 98 L.Ed.2d 155 (1987). The Court of Appeals, in Wolf v. Sundquist , reaffirmed this principle, stating: It is now settled that a criminal defendant's constitutional rights are not violated by excusing prospective jurors for cause when their personal beliefs concerning the death penalty would prevent or substantially impair their performance as a juror in accordance with their instructions and their oath. Wolf v. Sundquist, 955 S.W.2d at 629 (citing Wainwright v. Witt, 469 U.S. 412, 424, 105 S.Ct. 844, 852, 83 L.Ed.2d 841 (1985); Adams v. Texas, 448 U.S. 38, 45, 100 S.Ct. 2521, 2526, 65 L.Ed.2d 581 (1980); State v. Hutchison, 898 S.W.2d 161, 167 (Tenn.1994), cert. denied, 516 U.S. 846, 116 S.Ct. 137, 133 L.Ed.2d 84 (1995); State v. Alley, 776 S.W.2d 506, 518 (Tenn.1989), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 1036, 110 S.Ct. 758, 107 L.Ed.2d 775 (1990)). The court further held that questioning jurors concerning their religious beliefs with regard to the death penalty does not amount to a religious test. [1] Wolf v. Sundquist, 955 S.W.2d at 631. In sum, the court held that the exclusion of jurors who because of their religious beliefs cannot apply the law to the facts of a particular case is not error. [2] Wolf v. Sundquist, 955 S.W.2d at 633. This issue is without merit.