Opinion ID: 1858107
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Opportunity to Rehabilitate/Supplemental Assignment of Error 5

Text: Defendant asserts the trial court erred in granting the State's challenge for cause against prospective juror Lillie Mae Lewis without giving the defense an opportunity to attempt to rehabilitate her. Upon examination, Ms. Lewis indicated she would vote against death under all circumstances and believed only in life imprisonment. The record shows the following later took place after the judge inquired if there were any challenges for cause: Ms. Burns: Yes, your honor. Judge, at this time, state would make a challenge as to juror no. 282, Ms. Lewis, based upon her response that she could not impose the death penalty under any set of circumstances. She would not be a legally qualified juror, under article 798, subsection 2(a). The Court: Mr. Perez, do you have any questions you'd like to ask that juror in that regard? Mr. Perez: No, I don't think I would question the juror. I have objected to the constitutionality of 798(2)(a). I would re-erect that objection. Defendant is correct in his argument that an accused has the right to a full and in-depth examination of prospective jurors in order to provide for the intelligent exercise of challenges and to test the individual's qualifications to serve. La. Const. Art. I, Sec. 17. Subject to a trial court's broad discretion in the conduct of voir dire and in ruling on challenges, this right entitles an accused to reexamine, requestion, reinstruct or rehabilitate a juror. This right is particularly important in a capital case when the juror is being examined on his views of the death penalty. However, defendant's assertion he was denied the opportunity to rehabilitate Ms. Lewis is a misrepresentation of the record. The voir dire transcript shows Ms. Lewis was adamant in her opposition to the death penalty. After the State challenged Ms. Lewis because of her inability to consider capital punishment, the judge specifically asked defense counsel if he had any questions for Ms. Lewis to which counsel responded in the negative. Because defense counsel acquiesced in the challenge by declining the court's offer of rehabilitation, and because the court did not commit error in excusing Ms. Lewis for cause, [8] this assignment lacks all merit.