Court Opinion

ID: 9616897
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:50:41.749969+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:05:47.166746
License: Public Domain

Gunderson, J.,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
My respected colleagues hold appellant has failed to demonstrate that pretrial publicity adversely affected his prospects for a fair trial in Washoe County, because all the jurors assertedly felt able to render a fair verdict.
I suggest such conclusory statements do not offset realities about those jurors, who were seated after the district judge ruled upon all challenges for cause, and after appellant had exercised his. peremptory challenges. As my brethren note, eight of the jurors thus seated acknowledged they had been exposed to publicity on appellant’s case; four knew another jury had previously found him guilty; three knew his prior criminal record; four had already formed the opinion that he was guilty.
With ail respect, I submit that when a change of venue could palliate the prospect of prejudice, a trial before such a jury does not comport with contemporary standards of due process. Irvin v. Dowd, 366 U.S. 717, 722 and 728 (1966). I believe a change of venue should have been granted.