State v. Faust, No. Cr-93 086882 (Dec. 1, 1995)

1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 13623
CourtConnecticut Superior Court
DecidedDecember 1, 1995
DocketNo. CR-93 086882
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 13623 (State v. Faust, No. Cr-93 086882 (Dec. 1, 1995)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Faust, No. Cr-93 086882 (Dec. 1, 1995), 1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 13623 (Colo. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This case is unpublished as indicated by the issuing court.]MEMORANDUM OF DECISION The defendant has filed Notice under Sec. 4059 of the Practice Book for a decision in conformity with said section on a Challenge to the Jury Array and a Motion or Motions in Limine. Because of the apparent confusion over the particular motion selected for argument in this scatter gun attack offered by the defendant in support of those motions, the court appends the transcripts of that hearing(s) and those arguments and incorporates them by reference herein

The Challenge to the Array

The defendant cites the United States Constitution, the Connecticut Constitution and various articles and clauses thereunder, cases, and certain Connecticut General Statutes. The essence of the claim is that the array is not representative of a fair cross section of the community. In order to establish a prima facie violation of the fair cross section requirement, the defendant must show (1) that the group alleged to be excluded is a "distinctive" group in the community; (2) that the representation of this group in venires from which juries are selected is not fair and reasonable in relation to the number of such persons in the community; and, (3) that this underrepresentation is due to systematic exclusion of the group in the jury selection process. When and if the defendant establishes this prima facie case, the burden then shifts to the State to prove that the selection system resulting in a nonrepresentative array furthers a significant state interest.Duren v. Missouri, 439 U.S. 357, 364, 99 S.Ct. 664,58 L.Ed.2d 579; State v. McCarthy, 197 Conn. 247, 250; State v. Castonguay,194 Conn. 416, 421-22. The defendant asserts that he is black and the State offers no argument or evidence to contradict his claim. As a black, he clearly falls within the "distinctive group in the CT Page 13624 community" requisite of Duren.

In addressing the second prong in determining whether the requirement of fair and reasonable representation of the group involved has been met, our courts have settled on the so-called "substantial impact" test as best suited to a fair cross section claim. Under this test, the "`focus is not on numbers and percentages but rather on whether the underrepresentation substantially affects the composition of the . . . [grand or petit] jury.'" See State v. Castonguay, supra; State v. Couture,194 Conn. 530, 552. Any disparity is measured in terms of its impact on juries, not simply percentages of the abstract. This analysis permits the courts to reject challenges when the challenged practices do not significantly alter the composition of the typical grand or petit jury.

It seems appropriate at this point to categorize this challenge as exactly what it is and that is an Equal Protection claim which is limited to members of the so-called excluded group. State v. McCarthy, supra, 197 Conn. 251 n. 5. The defendant has called two witnesses, the State Jury Administrator and Jury Pool Officer of this District. The testimony of the Administrator proved to be quite innocuous with respect to the challenge being asserted. The Jury Pool Officer's testimony hardly strengthened that of the Administrator. While the first prong of Duren, was concededly satisfied, the second and third, as they exist in Connecticut, have by no stretch of the imagination or magical incantation approached the threshold of establishing a prima facie case, and further analysis or comment is hardly necessary. In spite of that finding, the court must comment upon the content of the so-called challenge to the array which sets forth certain factual predicates and arguments upon evidence which was never introduced. He has chosen to include factual claims in a "motion" which in reality is a combination "motion" and memorandum of support thereof, and is hardly the equivalent of evidence. In addition thereto, his reminder to the court of its powers of judicial notice does not, in fact, establish that judicial notice. Such reminder avails him nothing.

The court must also comment upon being urged to adopt a dissenting opinion in the State v. Robinson, 227 Conn. 711, which this court refuses to do. Finally, he requested the court to inquire of each day's array how many members claim to be of black or hispanic origin. This request has been consistently denied by this court. The basis of the request is and was to preclude the CT Page 13625 panel, in his words, from HOLDING IT AGAINST ME OR MY CLIENT. (Emphasis added.) This request and the finding to be made as a result of such inquiry would certainly challenge the court's impartiality and integrity. By such inquiry, the court becomes an ally by siding with one of the adversaries in the proceeding before it. The impropriety of such a posture deserves no further comment.

The challenge to the array, accordingly, is denied.

The Motion in Limine 2

The defendant's Motion in Limine, which is numbered two (2), begins rather unimpressively with reference to the wrong defendant. The pertinent part, the objectionable portion as expressed by counsel recites" . . . hereby moves this honorable court to refrain from exposing the jury arrays to the type of questions likely to be asked by counsel upon individual voir dire because such preexposure to likely questions by counsel will I allow potential jurors so disposed to prepare answers that MAY [emphasis added] interfere with counsel's ability to determine beliefs, predispositions, emotional response systems and prejudgments." The so-called exposure occurs at the introduction of the case to the jury array. At any such introduction, it is the practice of this court to explain fundamental principles of both civil and criminal law to the prospective jurors. The jury is always cautioned that it is not the court's intention to change opinions, predispositions that they may have, beliefs or any emotional responses, if indeed such a state of mind exists in any juror. Essentially, such explanation is followed by a question to the effect that, is there anyone here who cannot accept and follow that instruction as given by the court? If such preliminary instruction expressed to any prospective panel violates any known principle of law, this motion should prove the vehicle for such an opinion from a reviewing panel.

The defendant draws what he believes to be support for his proposition, general reference to the State Constitution, to a General Statute and to the State v. Lee, 30 Conn. App. 470, 491. These general citations stand for the proposition that "it is well settled that `the right to question each juror individually by counsel shall be inviolate . . . .'"

It is interesting and ironic that Lee continued on to say "[i]t is equally well established that `the court has wide CT Page 13626 discretion in conducting voir dire . . . and the exercise of that discretion will not constitute reversible error unless it has clearly been abused or harmful prejudice appears to have resulted.' (Citations omitted).

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Related

Duren v. Missouri
439 U.S. 357 (Supreme Court, 1979)
State v. Castonguay
481 A.2d 56 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1984)
State v. Couture
482 A.2d 300 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1984)
State v. McCarthy
496 A.2d 513 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1985)
State v. Dahlgren
512 A.2d 906 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1986)
State v. Robinson
631 A.2d 288 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1993)
State v. Lee
620 A.2d 1303 (Connecticut Appellate Court, 1993)

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Bluebook (online)
1995 Conn. Super. Ct. 13623, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-faust-no-cr-93-086882-dec-1-1995-connsuperct-1995.