Ex Parte Martin

The petitioner, James Lewis Martin, Jr., was convicted for the capital murder of Allen Powell and was sentenced to death. The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence, 548 So.2d 488 (Ala.Cr.App. 1988) and Martin petitioned this Court for a writ of certiorari, raising ten issues.

Martin first argues that the Court of Criminal Appeals erred in holding that the trial court did not err in denying his challenge for cause of prospective juror Roger Norris because of bias or prejudice on the part of the prospective juror.

During voir dire, Norris was asked if he had heard or read…