Opinion ID: 1913318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 23

Heading: did the trial court err in failing to grant holland's challenge for cause of potential juror randolph?

Text: ¶ 110. Holland moved to exclude juror Carolyn Randolph because of her statements and actions regarding this case. Randolph apparently gave contradictory answers on her impartiality. She first stated that nothing in her experience would influence her ability to be impartial. Then, Randolph could not say that her objectivity would not be clouded by her knowledge. She then stated that she could vote either way. Finally, she stated she could base her decision on the law and evidence. When Holland asked Randolph questions at voir dire, she stated that she would want the burden of proof for life imprisonment shifted to Holland. ¶ 111. Holland was denied a challenge for cause. The trial court stated that since Randolph said she could follow the law, she could serve on the jury. Holland exercised a peremptory challenge to remove Randolph. Holland had peremptories available at that time, but used them all before the end of jury selection. ¶ 112. No reversible error results where the defendant had peremptory challenges remaining at the point where the trial court fails to sustain a challenge for cause. Mettetal v. State, 615 So.2d 600, 603 (Miss. 1993). The United States Supreme Court has also held that where the resulting jury was fair and impartial, the loss of a peremptory challenge does not result in a Sixth Amendment violation. Ross v. Oklahoma, 487 U.S. 81, 88, 108 S.Ct. 2273, 2278, 101 L.Ed.2d 80 (1988), reh'g denied, 487 U.S. 1250, 109 S.Ct. 11, 101 L.Ed.2d 962 (1988). The Ross Court further stated that reversible error, in a court's failure to grant a challenge for cause, arises only where (1) the defendant exhausts all peremptories and (2) an incompetent juror is forced upon him. Ross, 487 U.S. at 89, 108 S.Ct. at 2279. ¶ 113. We hold that no reversible error exists here. [13] The strike used against Randolph was not Holland's last peremptory strike, but rather was number eleven. When Cecil Ladner was seated as the twelfth juror Holland simply stated that he was out of peremptory challenges and had no strike for cause against this juror. The claim is waived as Randolph did not sit on this jury. Chase, 645 So.2d at 844.