Trials: The Art of Voir Dire

Q. Do you recall anything of the defendant's background? A. He's supposed to be an ex-con, isn't he? Q. You didn't have an opinion that this man was innocent, did you? A. You mean theĀ—the defendant? Q. Yes. This man, Speck. A. I couldn't say. Q. But you did remember that he was an ex-con?

Embarrassment. No answer. Excused. And so, on to the next venireman in the subtle search for twelve jurors who could rightly claim to be "impartial" about the case of Richard Speck, accused of murdering eight student...

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