Opinion ID: 1966978
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: jury

Text: In this section of his postconviction motion, Nesbitt asserts that the district court erred (1) in failing to grant additional peremptory challenges to the defense, (2) in failing to sequester the jury during the trial, (3) in failing to individually question each prospective and potential juror about any knowledge of the case they may have gained from the media, and (4) in allowing the prosecutor to inquire as to whether any potential juror had any opinions or feelings that would prevent him or her from finding Nesbitt guilty of an offense punishable by death. Nesbitt also argues that his counsel was ineffective for failing to raise the four aforementioned arguments on direct appeal. To the extent these arguments assign error to the district court, they are procedurally barred. Both Nesbitt and defense counsel were aware of the facts underlying these allegations at the time of the direct appeal and thus could have asserted them at that time. As previously noted, a motion for postconviction relief cannot be used to secure review of issues which were or could have been litigated on direct appeal, no matter how those issues may be phrased or rephrased. State v. Soukharith, supra ; State v. El-Tabech, 259 Neb. 509, 610 N.W.2d 737 (2000). However, Nesbitt's allegation that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to make these same arguments on direct appeal is not procedurally barred. We address each argument in turn.