Document: 487 U.S. 81 108 S.Ct. 2273 101 L.Ed.2d 80 Bobby Lynn ROSS, Petitionerv.OKLAHOMA. No. 86-5309. Argued Jan. 19, 1988. Reargued April 18, Decided June 22, Rehearing Denied Aug. 25, See 1250, 109 11. Syllabus Petitioner was charged with the capital offense of first-degree murder. An Oklahoma statute provides both parties in trials nine peremptory challenges to prospective jurors. After trial court denied petitioner's motion remove for cause juror Huling, who had declared that he would vote impose death automatically if jury found petitioner guilty, defense exercised one its him. Although used all challenges, it did not challenge any 12 jurors actually heard case. At close selection, overruled objection petitioner, is black, composition all-white him a fair and impartial by his peers. The guilty sentenced death, Court Criminal Appeals affirmed. Held: 1. erred failing Huling under Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 510, 88 1770, 20 776, Wainwright Witt, 469 412, 105 844, 83 841, such failure abridge Sixth Fourteenth Amendment right an jury, since sit on having removed as effectively done so. broad language Gray Mississippi, 481 648, 665, 107 2045, 2055, 95 622 "relevant inquiry whether panel whole could possibly have been affected court's error" (internal quotations omitted; emphasis original), too sweeping be applied literally, should extended beyond context: erroneous "Witherspoon exclusion" qualified may resulted different from which otherwise decided case, principal concerns animating Gray—the inability know prosecution excluded juror—is absent here, fact removed. use cure error does mean violated, are constitutional dimension but merely means achieve end jury. has failed establish sat impartial, never challenged nor suggested their partiality, since, this Court, neither pressed claim absence blacks deprived partiality way related Huling. Pp. 85-88. 2. due process arbitrarily depriving full complement challenges. Even assuming Constitution renders State's denial or impairment exercise reversible without showing prejudice, cf. Swain Alabama, 380 202, 85 824, 13 759, "right" "denied impaired" only defendant receive state law provides, creature constitutionally required, and, accordingly, State determine number define purpose manner exercise. long grant requirement must those refusals excuse cause. There nothing arbitrary irrational about requirement, subordinates unfettered discretion goal empaneling sanctioned numerous incursions upon peremptorily. Thus, fail, received allowed Logan Zimmerman Brush Co., 455 422, 102 1148, 78 265, Hicks Oklahoma, 447 343, 100 2227, 65 175, distinguished. 88-91. 717 P.2d 117, REHNQUIST, C.J., delivered opinion WHITE, O'CONNOR, SCALIA, KENNEDY, JJ., joined. MARSHALL, J., filed dissenting opinion, BRENNAN, BLACKMUN, STEVENS, joined, post, p. 91. Gary Peterson, City, Okl., petitioner. Robert A. Nance, respondent. Chief Justice REHNQUIST Court. 1 During selection murder trial, Ross resorted whom excused 776 (1968). He claims because Amendments United States require reversal conviction sentence death. We conclude they do not. 2 In course robbing motel Elk killed police officer. murder, Okla. Stat., Tit. 21, § 701.7 (Supp.1987), offense, 701.9(A) (Supp.1987). By statute, trials. 655 (1981). 3 began drawing names 150-person venire. Each examined individually counsel. Prospective after voir dire were provisionally seated. If cause, replacement called examined. seated, alternately beginning prosecution. When struck, immediately selected described above. Once party whose turn was. This procedure repeated until each side waived 4 Darrell Huling's name drawn replace fifth challenge. dire, initially indicated recommend life circumstances appropriate. On further examination counsel, automatically. Defense counsel moved arguing able follow at penalty phase. then sixth ultimately five, waiving remaining four. 5 None fate black; victim white. objected "to twelve people, there no black people jurymen case feels he's peers." App. 25. objection, commenced. 6 two days evidence, gave closing arguments, instructed deliberations began. murder.1 Following presentation evidence arguments separate sentencing proceeding, same five aggravating 7 appeal, rejected argument committed cause: 8 "The unequivocally states unwilling during phase considering error. record reflects when challenge, All [petitioner's] subsequently used; show objectionable, we unable discover grounds reversal." 120 (1986) (citations omitted). 9 granted certiorari, 482 926, 3209, 96 696 (1987), consider implications subsequent strike now affirm. 10 841 (1985), held "the proper standard determining her views punishment . juror's 'prevent substantially impair performance duties accordance instructions oath.' " Id., 424, S.Ct., 852 (quoting Adams Texas, 448 38, 45, 2521, 2526, 581 (1980)). found, P.2d, 120, concedes, Tr. Oral Rearg. 30, contends abridged process. reject offered 11 It well settled guarantee supra; Irvin Dowd, 366 717, 722, 1639, 1642, 751 (1961). Had properly preserved overturned. Adams, supra. But sit. him, thereby Any therefore, focus sat. jurors, however, impartial. "[T]he presupposes cross section community regardless mix individual viewpoints represented so can conscientiously carry out sworn duty apply facts particular case." Lockhart McCree, 476 162, 184, 106 1758, 90 137 (1986). assert based panel. presses before suggests relies heavily think affords help. Gray, several opposed Witherspoon. U.S., 669, 2057 (Powell, concurring part judgment); id., 673, 2059 (SCALIA, dissenting, joined WHITE JJ.). exhausted juror, Mrs. H.C. Bounds, stated although she appropriate circumstances. Arguing previous "for cause" rulings erroneous, asked restore might Bounds. apparent attempt correct earlier rulings, instead Bounds seated A closely divided reversed Gray's sentence, concluding removal supra, considered harmless. 14 Court's statement relevant 'whether error.' 2055 (emphasis original) Moore Estelle, 670 F.2d 56, 58 (CA5) (specially opinion), cert. denied, 458 1111, 3495, 73 1375 (1982)). points another including asserts, moreover, differently, differently response, consequently, changed significantly. 15 agree accept possibility mandates reversal. decline extend rule literally,2 best understood context involved. One decision certainty erroneously juror. 2055; 669-670, n. 2, 2057-2058, judgment). instant need speculate ruling court; 16 undoubtedly required notion loss constitutes violation recognized dimension. 663, 2054; 219, 835, 759 (1965); Stilson States, 250 583, 586, 40 28, 29, 63 L.Ed. 1154 (1919). They So sits result violated. Hopt Utah, 430, 436, 614, 616, 30 708 (1887); Spies 123 131, 31 (1887).3 occurred. 17 Relying largely 71 265 (1982), 175 (1980), also argues violated law. disagree. true previously 'one most important rights secured accused.' Swain, 835 Pointer 151 396, 408, 410, 414, 38 208 (1894)). Indeed, cited federal cases observed: prejudice." 835. even criminal proceedings, nonetheless fail. Because Constitution, Cf. Stilson, 587, 30; Frazier 335 497, 505, 11, 69 201, 206, 93 187 (1948). As such, provides. 18 principle disagrees for-cause must, order preserve then, exhausts incompetent forced Ferrell State, 475 825, 828 (Okla.Crim.App.1970); Stott 538 1061, 1064-1065 (Okla.Crim.App.1975). McDonald 54 Okla.Crim. 161, 164-165, 1092, 1094 (1932), declared: 19 "If believed pledged return verdict imposing penalty, named, purged cannot jury's consenting panel, adverse, disqualified." absolute freedom wishes concept totally free-wheeling unconstrained procedural difficult imagine. pointed dissenters 243-244, 848. 21 "This Defendants tried together though peremptorily deprive codefendant desires other than wishes. Marchant, [12 Wheat. 480, 700 (1827) ]. prior some wasted challenged. 396 [14 (1894) Congress regulate available defendants codefendants treated single small portion peremptories separately. [250 (1919) ]." 22 law, rectify error, consequently retained eight discretion. therefore fails.4 23 Logan, Hicks, (1980) support application limitations period, state-provided action overturned imposed determined Here, errors established law.5 24 dismiss interest provided State. entitles perfect one." Delaware Van Arsdall, 681, 1431, 1436, 89 674 25 Affirmed. 26 STEVENS join, dissenting. 27 man's stake. playing games. everyone concedes judge take away defendant's Yet, effect exactly what happened here. I respectfully dissent. 28 Neither disputes "erred" refused twice find penalty; question guaranteed Amendment. concludes, resentencing "cure[d]" defense's limited biased Ante, ----. believe conclusion irreconcilable holding just last Term similar requires 'the quoting (1982). distinguish fails persuade, protect condoning scheme penalizes assertion right. am convinced per se consistent 29 expressed reservations punishment, exclusion (1968), (1985). invitation harmless-error analysis Specifically, retention unexercised harmless motion. addition, isolated incident prejudicial ultimate fairly community. explained contingent nature "defies Witherspoon-Witt harmless." 2055. According Ibid. (citation requiring vacation 660, 668, 2052, 2057. today unaccountably refuses involving Here court, rather excusing That deprivation "could affected" standard, extra strategic peremptories. ("A prosecutor fewer hand willing certain given larger reserve peremptories"). acknowledges meets test. ante, 87 ("[T]he case"). precisely itself. who, inexcusable seemed sympathetic penalty. opportunity perceived thus 'tribunal organized death' fashion recently Gray. 2057, Witherspoon, 521, 1777. 32 attempts ways. First, dismissively declares "too literally." 87. offers reason narrowing language: reversal, venire start anew, resulting new necessarily empaneled original 87, misses point decision. hold panel; rather, untainted impossible sure tilt against defendant, returned stand. wholly pose problem "tilting" simply wrong prevent correcting starting anew. unwillingness "literally" foundation. 33 Second, limit distinguishing factually correctly notes "[o]ne juror." 88, citing 670, 2058, follows: "In sit." 88. 34 again reasoning. indicate always "cures" rulings. Rather, reasoned identical former point, required. employed ruling, unaffected—as itself acknowledges. Reversal well, very Powell's concurrence quoted clearly establishes: reasonable doubt result." 35 successfully implicit holding, expressly made. leaves undisturbed changes holds leads change composition. Under view, wrought pursuant law; intervening broke causal link between 36 "intervening engenders serious problems own. employ arising burdens undisputed Yet give up emphasized ability "one accused," (1894), "long served jury," Batson Kentucky, 79, 99, 1712, 1724, seriously questioned vis-a-vis pretrial proceedings. 37 venerable line precedents legislative schemes unnecessarily burden Just few examples suffice principle. Jackson, 390 570, 1209, 138 struck down provision Federal Kidnapping Act rendered eligible invoked Congress' enacting legitimate, "[w]hatever said objectives, pursued needlessly chill basic rights." 582, 1216. And Brooks Tennessee, 406 605, 92 1891, 358 (1972), wished testify own behalf first witness presented. noted issue "exacts price [the defendant's] silence keeping off stand entirely unless chooses first," 610, 1894, "casts heavy unconditional stand," 610-611, 1894. ignores clear dictates these surrender parity "there irrational" preventing needless frivolous appeals. 90. existence rational punitive burdensome little significance our cases. Brooks, testimony being influenced witnesses rational, insufficient override remain silent trial. 611, statutory motivated legitimate permitting recommendation burdening rights. 582-583, 1216-1217. desire appeals overcome adjudicator, "goes integrity legal system." Moreover, obviously addressed See, e.g., Supreme Code Professional Responsibility, DR 1-102(A)(4) lawyer shall [e]ngage conduct dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation"). avoidable. Our accordingly mandate 39 justified condone impermissible squared either recent precedents, reverse judgment extent left convicted robbery firearm, Okla.Stat., 801 99 years' imprisonment charge. dissent out, affects defies literal application. 678, 2062 dissenting). If, realizing dismissed entire started majority followed risking 663-664, 13, 2054, 13. Spies, petitioners participation killing officers Haymarket riot. Using unsuccessfully eventually People, 122 Ill. 1, 256-257, N.E. 865, 989 (1887). Before argued declined examine petitioners. 168, decide broader whether, Oklahoma's limitation "a impairment" occurs uses more Stroud 251 380, 382, 176, 177, 64 317 (1920), denying rehearing 15, 50, 103 No made here repeatedly deliberately misapplied force errors.

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