Opinion ID: 527010
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Reverend Edgar Lincoln Curry

Text: 6 At the conclusion of a long voir dire examination, the Reverend Curry stated that he did not wish to take the oath of a juror because of his opposition to the death penalty. Granviel contends that Curry was persuaded to take this position by the prosecuting attorney's suggestion that he could thereby avoid the unpleasant task of sitting in a capital case. In Granviel's view, Curry was improperly encouraged to abandon his clear statement that he would follow his oath and answer truthfully to all issues presented to him. Reviewing the transcript of the voir dire, however, we conclude that the prosecutor was properly fulfilling his duty to flush out Curry's true position. 7 The Reverend Curry's responses to questions make it clear that service on a death penalty case placed him in a moral dilemma. This was particularly true under the Texas procedure, which mandates a death sentence if the jury affirmatively answers three special issues or questions. The Reverend Curry strongly opposed the death penalty due to long held moral and religious beliefs and stated explicitly that he could not conscientiously participate in its imposition. These same convictions, however, also compelled him to follow his oath and answer truthfully all questions presented to him; he would not lie. Therefore, when asked if he would truthfully answer the special issues that Texas law utilizes in the penalty stage of capital cases, Curry stated unequivocally that he would answer as the evidence dictated. The dilemma created by the Texas procedure thus became apparent: assuming the facts of the case warranted the death penalty, Curry had either to answer the questions falsely or answer them as the facts dictated, and thereby sentence another to death. Curry could abide by neither result. 8 [by the Prosecutor] 9 Q. Now, earlier you said that your opinions about the death penalty were so firm that you would automatically vote against the death penalty regardless of the facts of the case? 10 A. Irregardless. 11 Q. All right. 12 Now, is what you're telling the judge, then, that even if you were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, for example, that the defendant acted deliberately and there was a reasonable expectation that his actions would result in the death of another, that you might answer no to that question when in fact in your heart you knew the answer was yes? 13 A. Oh, no, I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't lie about it. 14 .... 15 Q. Now, the second question [special issue] is--we're talking about whether there's a probability he would commit criminal acts of violence?.... If you were convinced of that beyond a reasonable doubt, could you answer yes to that knowing that you have already answered yes to the first question and knowing that the two yes answers just-- 16 A. Two yes answers would give him-- 17 Q. -- give him the death penalty? 18 A. -- death penalty. 19 Q. Could you do that? 20 A. I would answer it truthfully if I was on the jury, yes. 21 Q. You could do that? 22 A. Yes. 23 Q. All right. 24 Now, here is the--the oath that you'll have to take as a juror. 25 .... 26 And what that oath says is that you will a true verdict render according to the law and the evidence, so help you God? 27 A. That's right. 28 Q. Okay, so if you take that oath, then you're telling--I guess what you are telling us now is that even though you're--you're adamant in your opposition of the death penalty, if you take an oath to render a true verdict, then you will render a true verdict and it won't matter to you whether death results or not? 29 A. I'm liable to be put in the position by telling the truth of what I have heard and what I understand that would transpire as a juror would place me in this position that I couldn't--I would have to go against what I believe, staunchly believe in, and that I would demand then that he be given capital punishment and whatever you said it was, an injection or something, lethal injection, and I don't want to be placed in that position. 30 From this record, the district court could properly conclude that the facially inconsistent answers of Curry did not result from any inconsistency in Curry's personal views but from the Texas death penalty procedure. Curry's position did not change during the lengthy voir dire. He and the court were made to recognize the dilemma he was being placed in and an appropriate solution was found.