Opinion ID: 1058311
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Exclusion of Jurors Based on Religion

Text: Appellant filed a pretrial motion to prevent prospective jurors who stated that they could not impose the death penalty due to their religious convictions from being excluded from the jury. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to prevent exclusion of prospective jurors because of their religion. Appellant argues that the exclusion of jurors who claim that they cannot impose the death penalty due to their religious convictions violates the Tennessee Constitution, which provides that no political or religious test shall ever be required as a qualification for jurors. The trial court denied appellant's motion, stating that it would use the tests formulated in Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510, 88 S.Ct. 1770, 20 L.Ed.2d 776 (1968) and Wainwright v. Witt, 469 U.S. 412, 105 S.Ct. 844, 83 L.Ed.2d 841 (1985) to determine juror qualification. Appellant raised this issue in the appeal of his conviction for the Captain D's murders. The Tennessee Supreme Court ultimately held that the exclusion of prospective jurors by a trial court because of their moral or religious based reluctance to impose the death penalty is not error. Reid, 91 S.W.3d at 289-90. In this regard, potential jurors are removed for cause not because of their religious opinion or affiliation but because the jurors are unable to view the proceedings impartially and perform their duties in accordance with the juror's oath. Id. at 290. Questioning of a juror with regard to the death penalty does not amount to a religious test. Id. (citing Wolf, 955 S.W.2d at 631.) Appellant acknowledges that the Tennessee Supreme Court has rejected this argument but makes the argument in order to preserve it for later review. Accordingly, this issue is without merit.