Opinion ID: 1858107
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Initiation of Voir Dire/Assignment of Error 10

Text: Defendant asserts the trial court erred in allowing the State, over the defense's continual objection, to initiate the voir dire of each jury panel. The identical argument was made and rejected in State v. Taylor, 93-2201, p. 20 (La.2/28/96), 669 So.2d 364, 384, cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 117 S.Ct. 162, 136 L.Ed.2d 106 (1996), wherein this court noted, [t]he state's ability to question veniremen first is well established. Article 786 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides, [t]he court, the state, and the defendant shall have the right to examine prospective jurors, intimating the order in which the legislature intended voir dire to be conducted. The trial judge has great discretion as to the scope and conduct of voir dire, and rulings related thereto should not be disturbed on appeal absent a clear abuse of discretion. State v. Allen, 95-1754, p. 10 (La.9/5/96), 682 So.2d 713, 722. Given the above and the fact defendant was not prevented from objecting to any misstatements of law made by the State, from seeking limiting instructions from the trial court, or from seeking to rehabilitate any juror on voir dire, we find the trial court did not abuse its vast discretion in allowing the State to initiate questioning of all the jury panels. This argument lacks merit.