Opinion ID: 1372628
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Exclusion of Jurors Expressing Doubts About the Death Penalty.

Text: (2) Next, defendant contends the court erred in excluding jurors who expressed doubts about the propriety of the death penalty. He calls our attention to the exclusion of two venirepersons. Jurors must be excused if their views on capital punishment would prevent or substantially impair the performance of their duties in accordance with the instructions and their oath. ( People v. Danielson (1992) 3 Cal.4th 691, 712-713 [13 Cal. Rptr.2d 1, 838 P.2d 729], quoting Wainwright v. Witt (1985) 469 U.S. 412, 424 [83 L.Ed.2d 841, 851-852, 105 S.Ct. 844].) Our review of the record reveals no error in the exclusion of the two venirepersons. Both declared that they could not vote for death under any circumstances and thus could not follow their oath. Hence they were properly excluded. ( People v. Gordon (1990) 50 Cal.3d 1223, 1261-1262 [270 Cal. Rptr. 451, 792 P.2d 251].)