Opinion ID: 1697230
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: whether trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the exclusion of certain jurors.

Text: ¶ 51. Smith claims that the trial judge erred in excluding two jurors from the venire and that his attorneys were ineffective in not objecting to their exclusion. Miss.Code Ann. § 13-5-1 (Rev.2002) lists the qualifications for potential jurors. One of those qualifications is that the juror must be able to read and write. During voir dire, the trial judge asked the venire if there was anyone who was unable to read and write. Juror Hartfield stated that she could read a little bit but not good. The trial judge excused her at that point. ¶ 52. Smith also asserts that his attorneys were ineffective in failing to object to the exclusion of Juror Taylor. During voir dire, it was evident that Taylor did not understand the proceedings. The trial judge tried a number of different ways to explain the importance of Taylor's willingness and ability to state whether she understood the ramifications of the death penalty and whether she could apply the written instructions to the evidence presented. None seemed to help. The judge then stated to the attorneys, outside the hearing of Taylor: Do y'all think in a case where the stakes are as high as these that we need [juror Taylor] on the jury who is not going to, from what I've been able to determine, understand what anybody is talking about and who will likely be swayed by others. You take a chance either way. Taylor was excused without objection by either side. ¶ 53. Smith now asserts that his attorneys at trial should have objected to the exclusion of Taylor. In his direct appeal, Smith raised the exclusion of potential juror Taylor, and this Court found that: the record shows that it is highly probable that Taylor would not have been able to adequately follow the trial court's instructions and would have probably been a disruptive force had she sat on the final jury panel. Taylor even stated that she did not believe she would be able to listen to the evidence and the jury instructions and make a determination of guilt or innocence. Taylor later stated that she did not understand exactly why she was there or what the death penalty is. Her answers to the judge's and the attorneys' questions were confusing and she stated on several occasions that being there scared her. When all the individual voir dire of Taylor is taken together, the fact that trial court asked her if she understood what mitigating and aggravating circumstances are is of little consequence. The trial court was clearly justified in excusing Taylor. Smith, 729 So.2d at 1199-1200. Regarding juror Taylor, this issue has been raised at trial and on direct appeal and has been found to be without merit. It is therefore barred in the post-conviction proceedings. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(2). If this Court has found that the trial court committed no error in excusing Taylor, then the attorneys could not have been ineffective in failing to object to Taylor's dismissal. ¶ 54. The analysis with regard to juror Hartfield is similar. In response to the trial judge's question if there was any juror who was unable to read and write, Hartfield stated that she could only read a little bit. She was excused without objection. Smith now claims that his attorneys were ineffective in failing to object to her dismissal. As with Taylor, this was a juror with apparent minimal literacy. The statute requires that jurors be able to read and write. Capital cases are complex with complicated instructions. The trial judge did not err in excusing a juror who admitted that she could barely read and write. It therefore follows that the attorneys were not ineffective in failing to object to her dismissal. Furthermore, the attorneys' decisions with regard to the final composition of the jury are generally determined to be matters of trial strategy. The defense could well have thought that it was not in Smith's best interest to have a juror who could not understand the complexities of Smith's case. There was no ineffective assistance in the failure to object to the excusal of jurors Hartfield and Taylor.