State v. Evans

During the voir dire of the prospective jurors in this criminal case, the trial court asked whether any of them knew defendant or the counsel for the parties. One prospective juror responded that she knew defendant. When the trial court asked in what context, she explained that she and defendant used to be friends and that she had an “outstanding stalking order” against him. Although the trial court excused that prospective juror for cause, the trial court declined to grant a mistrial. The issue for our resolution is whether that prospective juror’s comment, which was made in the presence of…