Opinion ID: 2033698
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Voir Dire Time Limit

Text: The defendant contends that the trial court erred in limiting the defense's voir dire of the prospective jurors to ninety minutes. Arguing that there was a substantial amount of pre-trial publicity, and that many potential jurors disclosed familiarity with either the media coverage or some of the anticipated witnesses, the defendant asserts that the time limitation restricted or prejudiced his right to a fair and impartial jury trial. Although trial courts have broad discretionary power in regulating the form and substance of voir dire, Kalady v. State, 462 N.E.2d 1299, 1307 (Ind.1984), the conduct of voir dire examinations is now governed by Indiana Trial Rule 47(D). Harrison v. State, 644 N.E.2d 1243, 1249 (Ind. 1995). The decision of the trial court will be reversed upon appeal only if there is a showing of a manifest abuse of discretion and a denial of a fair trial. Games v. State, 535 N.E.2d 530, 538 (Ind.1989), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 874, 110 S.Ct. 205, 107 L.Ed.2d 158. This will usually require a showing by the defendant that he was in some way prejudiced by the voir dire. See Whitehead v. State, 511 N.E.2d 284, 291 (Ind.1987), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 1031, 108 S.Ct. 761, 98 L.E.2d 773 (1988). In the present case, while the defendant would have been entitled to additional reasonable time upon a showing of good cause related to the nature of the case, the quantity of prospective jurors examined and juror vacancies remaining, and the manner and content of the inquiries and responses given by the prospective jurors, Ind.Trial R. 47(D), he does not contend, nor do we find, that he made a request supported by such a showing of good cause. See Harrison, 644 N.E.2d at 1250. Furthermore, we note that the jury was impaneled prior to the expiration of the defense's allocated time. We find no error on this issue.