United States v. Johnson

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER REGARDING SCOPE OF LIFE— AND DEATH-QUALIFYING QUESTIONS IN JURY SELECTION

BENNETT, Chief Judge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION.824

A. Background .824

B. The Present Controversy.825

II. LEGAL ANALYSIS.825

A. Purpose And Discretion.825

B. The Starting Point: Morgan v. Illinois.826

1. The decisions below.826

2. The issues presented.827

a. Jury impartiality.827

b. The defendant’s right to challenge .827

c. The defendant’s right to inquire.828

d. Constitutionally sufficient voir dire.829

3. Holding.830

C. An Eighth Circuit Decision.831

D. The McVeigh Decision.832

1. Background.832

2.…