Hutcheson v. State

Undercofler, Chief Justice.

Hutcheson was convicted of the murder of his fiancee and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appeals, enumerating six errors. We reverse.

1. It was error for the trial court to refuse to dismiss from the jury panel for cause two Vidalia police officers, Carolyn C. Calhoun and Sgt. John Ward. Both appeared in court in police uniform when summoned to serve on the panel of 42 prospective jurors from which appellant’s jury was to be selected. Sgt. Ward testified on voir dire he wore his uniform and gun because he was on duty at the time.

Police officers, employed…