Opinion ID: 1749385
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: refusal to excuse juror barham for cause

Text: Remeta contends next that, after having exhausted all of his peremptory challenges, the trial court erred by refusing to excuse William Barham for cause on the basis that he was biased. To succeed on this point, Remeta must demonstrate that he was forced to accept this juror against his wishes. Jurors are presumed unbiased, and the burden of proving actual bias is on the party challenging the juror. Fleming v. State, 284 Ark. 307, 681 S.W.2d 390 (1984). We will also look closely at whether a particular juror who has been challenged was actually unbiased, notwithstanding the State's success in rehabilitating the juror. Pickens v. State, 292 Ark. 362, 730 S.W.2d 230, cert. denied, 484 U.S. 917, 108 S.Ct. 269, 98 L.Ed.2d 226 (1987). However, the trial court's decision will not be reversed absent an abuse of discretion. Fleming, supra . Remeta asserts the claim that Barham was biased as a seated member of the jury. Barham did state that his father-in-law and sister-in-law had been murdered, about five years previously, and that two persons had been convicted for their murders. One person had received life imprisonment, and the other person had received the death penalty. He stated unequivocally, however, that he could decide the case to be heard based upon the evidence presented and that he could follow the jury instructions as presented by the judge. Barham also stated that he would presume the accused innocent until proved otherwise and that he would not hold it against the accused if he chose not to testify. Upon further voir dire, Barham said that he could be a fair juror and that, notwithstanding the circumstances of his in-laws' deaths, he could decide the case fairly. Remeta did not ask the trial court to excuse Barham for cause prior to his selection as a member of the jury. In fact, upon the completion of Barham's voir dire and his acceptance by the State as a potential juror, Remeta merely acknowledged that he had used all of his peremptory challenges. We have held that a juror is acceptable as long as he can decide the case based upon the evidence presented at trial. See Swindler v. State, 264 Ark. 107, 569 S.W.2d 120 (1978), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1057, 101 S.Ct. 630, 66 L.Ed.2d 511 (1980). Consequently, we hold that it was not an abuse of the trial court's discretion to fail to excuse Barham for cause.