Villalobos v. State

Appellant, Pierson Villalobos (“Villalo-bos”) appeals from a judgment of conviction and sentence, challenging the trial court’s failure to dismiss a juror after that juror revealed, during the trial, his knowledge of and relationship with a testifying state witness.

Villalobos was charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter following a car accident in Monroe County. During voir dire, the court read a list of potential witnesses to the jury venire and specifically inquired whether any of the venire members knew of, or had a prior business or social relationship with, anyone on the witness list.…