Opinion ID: 1747978
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Venireperson Light

Text: The situation is similar with regard to venireperson Lori Light, and no jurisprudential purpose would be served by a detailed recitation of her voir dire responses. Suffice to say that under examination from the prosecutor, venireperson Light stated that she did not know whether she could impose the death penalty, that she probably could not sign a death verdict, that because of her discomfort with the death penalty she would want the State to prove Appellant's guilt by evidence greater than proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and that she probably could not follow the instructions of the court in this type of case. Defense counsel then was able to get Ms. Light to state that she would be able to convict based on proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and that she could fairly consider either punishment. However, she never stated that she could sign a death verdict or that she could actually recommend the death penalty. The prosecutor then moved to strike for cause. In granting the motion, the trial court stated, in part: There was an awful lot of body language that goes into these responses, and frankly, Ms. Light is not someone, I think, who can sit on this particular jury. Here again, the trial court was acting within its broad discretion in evaluating Ms. Light's overall responses and demeanor and was entitled to believe that her first responses, indicating that she was not qualified to be a juror in a death penalty case, were a more accurate reflection of her true views; it was not required to believe her later partially contradictory responses. See State v. Kinder, 942 S.W.2d at 324-25.