Opinion ID: 523156
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: exclusion of veniremember tucker

Text: 29 Texas law provides that either the state or defense may challenge a prospective juror for cause if he has a bias or prejudice for or against the defendant. Tex.Code Crim.Proc.Ann. art. 35.16(a)(9) (Vernon 1989). In addition, we held in Brooks v. Estelle, 697 F.2d 586, 589 (5th Cir.1982), that a state is entitled to exclude [prospective] jurors who state they cannot follow a constitutional state law. The state challenged prospective juror Linda Tucker for cause and the trial court struck her from the venire. In Ground for Relief Two, McCoy contends that the trial court's exclusion of Tucker violates his rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. 30 We are mindful that a court's exclusion of jurors for cause is a question of fact, Wainwright v. Witt, 469 U.S. 412, 427-29, 105 S.Ct. 844, 853-54, 83 L.Ed.2d 841 (1985), because 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2254(d) (1982) requires federal courts in habeas proceedings to grant a presumption of correctness to a state court's explicit and implicit findings of fact if supported in the record. See Marshall v. Lonberger, 459 U.S. 422, 103 S.Ct. 843, 74 L.Ed.2d 646 (1983). In addition, we must accept the findings of the federal district court on this issue unless they are clearly erroneous. Fed.R.Civ.P. 52(a). See Rule 11 Governing Section 2254 Cases (adopting the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure if not inconsistent with the federal Habeas Rules). 31 The state habeas court found Tucker had been properly excluded under state law because she was particularly biased against rapists. Ex parte McCoy, No. 377288-A (Finding of Fact 27; Conclusion of Law 6(a)). The federal district court also rejected the argument that Tucker was biased against the death penalty: 32 This Court finds, instead, that Ms. Tucker was properly excluded under state law. Her voir dire testimony revealed her strong feelings against rapists which, in turn, might have compelled her to hold the State to a lesser burden of proof than is required by law. Petitioner's claim here is meritless. 33 We find substantial evidence in the record to support the state habeas and federal district courts' findings. The excerpt of the voir dire contained in the federal district court's opinion is illustrative. McCoy v. Lynaugh, mem. op. at 7 (venire member Tucker said I don't think I could [follow the law] in a case alleging that a death has resulted during the commission of an aggravated rape). Thus, Tucker was properly excluded under state law where she admitted that she could not follow the law. Brooks v. Estelle, 697 F.2d at 589. 2