Federal 7th Circuit Court
Criminal Court
Jury Selection
Defendant appealed from his conviction for dealing methamphetamine by arguing that the jury that decided his case was not impartial. Defendant had moved to strike two jurors who indicated they had familial connections to law enforcement, but one of the motions to strike on that basis was denied. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, finding that the district court did not err where the prospective jurors gave different answers and the juror who was not dismissed gave an unequivocal statement that she would listen to the evidence and be impartial. (RIPPLE and ST. EVE, concurring)