State v. Bowden

COPELAND, Justice.

During the jury selection process, defendant contends the court erred in allowing the district attorney to challenge peremptorily juror Christa E. Arnold after the district attorney had passed her as a juror.

On the first day of the trial, this juror was examined at length by counsel for the defendant and the district attorney.

From the outset, it should be noted that Miss Arnold was of German ancestry and had difficulty speaking and understanding the English language. When asked by the district attorney if she could vote to convict knowing that the penalty would be death, she…