The Fourth Department determined the denial of a for cause challenge to a juror required reversal:
Here, in response to the prosecutor’s question regarding whether any member of the panel thought that he or she could not be fair and impartial due to the allegations of driving while intoxicated, prospective juror No. 13 indicated that, due to situations in her past, she did not see any reason why anyone would need to drink and drive, and she could not be fair and impartial. Upon follow-up questioning by the court, she assured the court that she could set those feelings aside. Later, however, in response to defense counsel’s questions, prospective juror No. 13 indicated that she had wondered what defendant did wrong when she first walked into the courtroom, and that “obviously” she felt that “he must have done something wrong or he wouldn’t have” been in court. The court asked follow-up questions, but cut off the prospective juror before she could reply to one such question, and the court’s final substantive question failed to establish the prospective juror’s state of mind. Consequently, the court abused its discretion in denying defendant’s challenge for cause to prospective juror No. 13. People v Betances, 2017 NY Slip Op 00804, 4th Dept 2-3-17
CRIMINAL LAW (FOR CAUSE CHALLENGE TO JUROR SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED, CONVICTION REVERSED)/JURORS (CRIMINAL LAW, FOR CAUSE CHALLENGE TO JUROR SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED, CONVICTION REVERSED)