State v. Wilson

One of the most cherished rights of the peoples of this free society is the right to be tried by a jury of our peers, which jury shall consist of people with no bias, prejudice, or previous commitment. The appeal in this case raises the issue of whether the defendant was granted a trial by such a jury or whether certain statements made by a juror evidenced such prejudice that she was not tried by such a jury. It might be said that an American jury— particularly in a capital case — should be, like Caesar’s wife, “above suspicion.” At the same time, the stability of a jury verdict must be…