Opinion ID: 292202
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Selection of the Regular Jury Panel

Text: 4 Appellee's first contention concerns the exclusion of eight veniremen of the regular jury panel who conscientiously objected to the death penalty. We have serious doubts whether appellee, in the absence of an appeal or cross appeal, may now contest the ruling of the district court that the exclusion of these jurors was correct and within the test of Witherspoon. 2 However this may be, we have examined the record and find ourselves in agreement with the district court that the eight veniremen of the regular jury panel were correctly and properly excluded. The Witherspoon decision narrows the basis for exclusion by emphasizing that a mere reluctance in or an abstract belief against capital punishment is not sufficient grounds for challenging a juror for cause. Witherspoon v. Illinois, supra, 391 U.S. at 522, 88 S.Ct. 1770. The trial judge must determine whether the prospective juror only harbors such a belief, or would in reality refuse under any circumstances to inflict the death penalty. The judge or the prosecuting attorney must ask a question, the reply to which will demonstrate unequivocally that the venireman would automatically vote against the imposition of capital punishment no matter what the trial might reveal,   Witherspoon v. Illinois, supra, at 516 n. 9, 88 S.Ct. at 1774, Boulden v. Holman, 394 U.S. 478, 482, 89 S.Ct. 1138, 22 L.Ed. 2d 433 (1969). We have examined the questions propounded to these eight prospective jurors, examples of which are set out in the margin. 3 In addition to being asked whether or not he was opposed to capital punishment each of the eight jurors was also asked a question that elicited a reply indicating that under no circumstances would he vote in favor of the death sentence. Although the questions put to these jurors were not expressed in the most articulate language, we find that the court and counsel made it unmistakably clear to these prospective jurors that only such jurors who could not or would not impose the death penalty under any circumstances would be excused for cause.