Enrique Godoy v. Marion Spearman

OPINION

FISHER, Circuit Judge:

One of the most fundamental rights in our system of criminal justice is the right to trial before an impartial jury. Its common law origin can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It was enshrined in the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution, and it has been embraced by the Supreme Court in numerous cases. The Court reaffirmed just last year that “the guarantee of an impartial jury ... is vital to the fair administration of justice.” Dietz v. Bouldin, — U.S. -, 136 S.Ct. 1885, 1893, 195 L.Ed.2d 161 (2016).

Here we address a critical safeguard of an impartial jury,…