Opinion ID: 2454387
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: For-Cause Excusals

Text: Storey contends the trial court erred in excusing for cause venirepersons Grissom and Hayden and that counsel was ineffective in failing to object when Grissom was excused. A defendant's right to an impartial jury is violated when the trial court excuses venirepersons for cause merely because they express objections to the death penalty. Wainwright v. Witt, 469 U.S. 412, 416, 105 S.Ct. 844, 848, 83 L.Ed.2d 841 (1985); State v. Harris, 870 S.W.2d 798, 805 (Mo. banc), cert. denied,  U.S.___, 115 S.Ct. 371, 130 L.Ed.2d 323 (1994). Venirepersons may be removed for cause if their views would substantially impair their ability to follow the law. Wainwright, 469 U.S. at 425-26, 105 S.Ct. at 852-53; Harris, 870 S.W.2d at 805. Appellate courts review for-cause rulings only for abuse of discretion. Harris, 870 S.W.2d at 805-06. Grissom said he would exclude the death penalty even as a possibility and I believe God gives life; He's the only one that should take it. Plainly, these statements demonstrate Grissom's inability to follow the law. Nonetheless, Storey argues that excusing Grissom violates Mo. Const., art. I, § 5, prohibiting disqualification from jury service because of religious beliefs. Excusing a venireperson who cannot follow the law does not violate § 5, even if the reason for the inability is a religious belief. See State v. Sandles, 740 S.W.2d 169, 178 (Mo. banc 1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 993, 108 S.Ct. 1303, 99 L.Ed.2d 513 (1988). Thus, the trial court did not err in excusing Grissom, and counsel's decision not to object was not ineffective. Venireperson Hayden, after twice stating she could impose the death penalty only in very limited circumstances, said: I could judge guilt or not guilty with no problem, I can listen to the evidence of the special circumstance, but I guess I'm just saying that even if the special circumstance fits the law, in my mind, it has to be an extraordinary special circumstance, and, yes, I mightyou know, I couldn't envision doing it for all special circumstances. Hayden's testimony established that her views on the death penalty substantially impaired her ability to follow the law. She testified that she would apply her own definition of special circumstances rather than following the instructions. On this record, the trial court did not abuse discretion in excusing Hayden.