Opinion ID: 853598
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Qualifying Jury for Life Without Parole

Text: Logan next complains about the manner in which the trial court conducted the voir dire examination of prospective jurors. The record shows that prior to trial the trial court ruled that during voir dire neither party would be permitted to question prospective jurors regarding a sentence of life without parole. Rather, the trial court decided to conduct that portion of the examination itself. In so doing, the court informed the parties that they could submit questions to the court, and if appropriate, it would in turn pose the questions to the prospective jurors. When the entire jury venire was subsequently brought into the court room, the trial court informed the group that if Logan was found guilty of the crimes charged, there would be a second phase or proceeding in which the jury would be asked to make a recommendation as to whether Logan should be sentenced to a term of years or imprisoned for life without parole. The court then told the prospective jurors: And the question I need you to ask or have you consider is whether or not, whether you can follow your oaths as jurors and follow the law and the evidence as it's given to you and make a decision which is going to be a weighing sort of process and we'll help you define it in our instructions and arguments from counsel or whether you would automatically go to a particular recommendation, whether that recommendation be life without parole or to a term of years as recommended by me. And that's the question we'll ask and ask you to answer, is whether you can hear evidence, follow the instructions, or whether you would automatically come to a conclusion without making that weighing decision that we're going to ask. R. at 310-11. Voir dire of the jurors was then conducted in groups of three. Before the attorneys questioned the prospective jurors, the court asked each group if they could make a decision regarding punishment based upon the law and the evidence or would they automatically recommend life without parole or a term of years based upon other considerations. R. at 341, 359, 363-64, 378-79, 398-99, 414, 437-38, 463, 489-90, 509-10, 529, 548. Each prospective juror who was subsequently seated answered that he or she would make the recommendation based on the law and evidence. In this appeal, Logan contends the trial court improperly limited jury selection with regard to the sentencing phase of the trial when it precluded Mr. Logan from `qualifying' potential jurors as to their feelings, opinions, and predispositions regarding a sentence of life imprisonment without any chance for parole. Brief of Appellant at 21. Logan argues that just as in capital cases where counsel is permitted to death qualify a jury, he should have been permitted to LWOP qualify the jury in this case. In capital cases, prospective jurors may be questioned about their beliefs regarding the death sentence to determine whether they will be able to follow their oath and the law regarding imposition of the death sentence. Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510, 522, 88 S.Ct. 1770, 20 L.Ed.2d 776 (1968); Fleenor v. State, 514 N.E.2d 80, 83-84 (Ind.1987). Those jurors who have firmly-held beliefs that would prevent or substantially impair them from being able to follow the law and consider imposition of a death sentence if called upon to do so, may be removed for cause. Witherspoon, 391 U.S. at 522, 88 S.Ct. 1770; Fleenor, 514 N.E.2d at 83-84. Those jurors who merely state a broad opposition to the death penalty but nevertheless indicate an ability to follow the law and consider imposition of a death sentence may not be removed for cause. Witherspoon, 391 U.S. at 522, 88 S.Ct. 1770; Fleenor, 514 N.E.2d at 83. We first observe that defendants generally have sought to preclude the death qualifying of a jury in capital cases on the theory that it improperly excludes jurors who voice opposition to the death penalty. See, e.g., Wisehart v. State, 484 N.E.2d 949, 953 (Ind.1985); Burris v. State, 465 N.E.2d 171, 177 (Ind.1984); Hoskins v. State, 441 N.E.2d 419, 421 (Ind. 1982). With this theory in mind, it is not clear to us how LWOP qualifying a jury serves to benefit Logan. In any event trial courts have broad discretionary power in regulating the form and substance of voir dire. Cliver v. State, 666 N.E.2d 59, 65 (Ind.1996). The decision of the trial court will be reversed only if there is a showing of a manifest abuse of discretion and a denial of a fair trial. Id. This will usually require a showing by the defendant that he was in some way prejudiced by the voir dire. Id. Indiana Trial Rule 47(D) dictates in pertinent part the court shall permit the parties or their attorneys to conduct the examination of prospective jurors, and may conduct examination itself. (emphasis added). [1] In this case the trial court did not permit Logan or his attorney to directly question prospective jurors concerning their views on life without parole. This was error. However, each juror was questioned regarding his or her ability to base a sentencing recommendation on the law and the evidence. The trial court's questioning of the jurors sought to reveal any bias and determine whether the jurors could render a fair and impartial recommendation, which we have held is the purpose of voir dire. See Games v. State, 535 N.E.2d 530, 538 (Ind.1989). Logan seems to contend that he could better probe into the jurors' beliefs regarding life without parole and better explain the concept, which jurors may have misunderstood. However, Logan does not indicate what questions he would have asked, nor does he explain why the trial court's procedure of asking questions tendered by the parties was inadequate for purposes of empanelling a fair and impartial jury. Further, Logan has failed to show that the trial court's procedure adversely impacted his ability to employ his peremptory challenges or his challenges for cause, and he does not allege that any specific juror should have been removed and was not. [T]he Constitution presupposes that a jury selected from a fair cross-section of the community is impartial, regardless of the mix of individual viewpoints actually represented on the jury, so long as the jurors can conscientiously and properly carry out their sworn duty to apply the law to the facts of the particular case. Fleenor, 514 N.E.2d at 83 (quoting Lockhart v. McCree, 476 U.S. 162, 184, 106 S.Ct. 1758, 90 L.Ed.2d 137 (1986)). We conclude that Logan has not shown that he was prejudiced by the procedure that the trial court used in selecting the jury. Thus, although the trial court erred by not permitting Logan to directly question prospective jurors concerning their views on life without parole, the error was harmless.