Opinion ID: 1793476
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Disqualification of the Jury

Text: In his first assignment of error, Appellant argues that the trial court erred in failing to disqualify the entire jury panel based on alleged bias stemming from their contact with a member of the media. Appellant claims that by virtue of this tainted jury panel he was denied a fair and impartial jury as required by Kentucky Constitution § 11 and RCr. 9.36(1). Prior to Appellant's trial, the Hardin Circuit Court decided the unrelated case of Commonwealth v. Heck, 04-CR-00506, which likewise involved charges of rape and sodomy. The Heck jury had recently delivered a not guilty verdict for the accused. After the Heck verdict was returned, four members of the jury panel were approached outside the courthouse by a reporter from a local newspaper who berated the jurors and told them they were wrong to acquit the accused and that if they had read her articles in the newspaper they would realize their mistake. The reporter also insinuated that evidence had been withheld from the jury and referred to various other alleged bad acts of the accused which were ostensibly not discussed at trial. The foregoing is noteworthy in that several members of Appellant's jury pool were likewise members of the Heck jury panel. Appellant became aware of the confrontation between the reporter and the jurors, and on the morning of his trial filed a motion to dismiss the entire jury pool. Appellant claimed the entire jury pool had been tainted due to the confrontation with the reporter and, thus, were prejudiced against acquitting another accused sex offender. The trial judge, however, denied the motion, indicating that she would go forward with empanelling a jury from the pool, but would permit counsel from both parties to call prospective jurors to the bench and question them as to any relevant matter. Each prospective juror was asked if they had served on the Heck trial. If a juror answered in the affirmative, such juror was questioned individually at side bar to determine if the reporter's statements affected their impartiality in the present matter. Seven potential jurors who served on the Heck jury were interviewed, and all indicated that they could be impartial. Significantly, no motions were made to strike any juror for cause. While Appellant's counsel did use three peremptory challenges to remove members of the Heck jury, [2] ultimately, four Heck jurors, including one of the individuals confronted by the reporter, sat on Appellant's jury. Although Appellant argues that the jury pool was invariably tainted by some of the members' contact with the reporter, he fails to demonstrate such bias. Indeed, Appellant offers little more than unsubstantiated speculation that the confrontation may have had some bearing on his conviction. Additionally, while it is certain that the conversation between the Heck jurors and the reporter was inappropriate, it is not an automatic indication that the individuals affected were rendered incapable of fair and impartial treatment of a wholly unrelated case with entirely different evidence. It is presumed that potential jurors are qualified to serve unless there is a showing of actual bias. Moreover, [i]t is incumbent upon the party claiming bias or partiality to prove the point. Polk v. Commonwealth, 574 S.W.2d 335, 337 (Ky. Ct.App.1978) ( citing Watson v. Commonwealth, 433 S.W.2d 884, 887 (Ky.1968)). Therefore, it logically follows that one must demonstrate actual bias in order to overcome the presumption of qualification. See Watson, 433 S.W.2d at 887. Here, Appellant has made no such showing. It is elemental that every criminal defendant is entitled, as a matter of due process, to an unbiased decision by an impartial jury. Grooms v. Commonwealth, 756 S.W.2d 131, 134 (Ky.1988); Ky. Const. § 11. However, the proper vehicle for testing this right, as ensured in RCr 9.30, is through the mechanism of voir dire. Pelfrey v. Commonwealth, 842 S.W.2d 524, 525 (Ky.1992). Here, Appellant was presented with the opportunity to question, in voir dire, each potential juror as to whether they were able to serve impartially. All jurors answered affirmatively. Moreover, Appellant's counsel did not strike any of the Heck jurors for cause. It is well settled law that if a litigant wishes to complain he must complain before the jury is accepted. Galliaer v. Southern Harlan Coal Co., 247 Ky. 752, 57 S.W.2d 645, 647 (1932). Since Appellant was afforded the opportunity to test the impartiality of the prospective jurors in voir dire and, in fact, did so without striking any of the jurors for cause, and has failed to show actual bias by any of the jurors, we find no error.