People v. Sheley

Defendant was convicted, after jury trial, of first degree murder, aggravated vehicular kidnapping, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Defendant was not denied a fair trial by impartial jury due to pretrial publicity. Opinion polls were conducted one year after alleged incident, and nearly two years prior to trial. Passage of time was reflected in voir dire answers of many potential jurors, whose recollections of crimes, if any, were vague and inaccurate. Court took specific steps to ensure that unbiased jury was selected; jurors were questioned individually, and voir dire was extensive with no time limits. (CARTER and HOLDRIDGE, concurring.)