Opinion ID: 788575
Heading Depth: 6
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Duty To Convict

Text: 82 Burton first challenges statements of the prosecutor during voir dire on the basis that such statements impermissibly instructed jurors that they had a duty to convict Burton; that is, that the prosecutor, in effect, directed the jury to enter a verdict against Burton. However, a review of the prosecutor's statements reveals that they were not improper because they did not amount to an instruction to the jury that it must convict Burton irrespective of its own assessment of the evidence presented during trial. Rather, the prosecutor's statements were part of a line of questioning directed at determining whether jurors understood that, if the jurors determined that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Burton had committed murder, then they would be under a duty to convict Burton: 83 [D]o you understand at the conclusion of the case, if the evidence shows that the defendant is guilty of the crime of murder, it'd be your duty as jurors to come back with a guilty verdict. Do you understand that? ... 84 If the proofs show you beyond a reasonable doubt that this man, Kumal Burton, committed murder, it'd be your duty to convict him. Do you understand that? If the evidence was there. It's the way our system works. 85 If the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that Kumal Burton committed murder on June 3rd, 1994, would each of you be able to stand up in this courtroom and face him and tell him that you are convicting him of murder? 86 Trial Tr. Vol. I at 28. Such questioning is not improper during the impaneling of a jury. See United States v. Hill, 738 F.2d 152, 154 (6th Cir.1984) (Although historically the incidence of the prosecutor's challenge has differed from that of the accused, the view in this country has been that the system should guarantee `not only freedom from any bias against the accused, but also from any prejudice against his prosecution. Between him and the state the scales are to be evenly held.') (quoting Hayes v. Missouri, 120 U.S. 68, 70, 7 S.Ct. 350, 30 L.Ed. 578 (1887)); United States v. Blount, 479 F.2d 650, 651 (6th Cir.1973) (The primary purpose of the voir dire of jurors is to make possible the empanelling of an impartial jury through questions that permit the intelligent exercise of challenges by counsel. It follows, then, that a requested question should be asked if an anticipated response would afford the basis for a challenge for cause.) (citations omitted). Moreover, the prosecutor specifically noted during voir dire that the jury would have a duty to find Burton not guilty if the prosecution failed to meet its burden of proof. Trial Tr. Vol. I at 49-50 (And obviously, as [defense counsel] has indicated here, if the People don't prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt on all the elements, it would be your duty as jurors to find the defendant not guilty. Do you understand that?). Given that Burton's claim of unconstitutional prosecutorial misconduct based on the prosecutor's alleged statement that the jury had a duty to convict Burton lacks merit, Burton's counsel on direct appeal was reasonable in choosing not to raise this argument on direct appeal, and no showing of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel can be made. Thus, this claim remains procedurally defaulted. 87