Section 21.14 Relationships With Police, Prosecutors, Etc.

• Library: Criminal Practice 2012 Supp

4. (§21.14) Relationships With Police, Prosecutors, Etc.

It is important to distinguish between jurors who are partial toward police testimony and those that merely have personal relationships with law enforcement officers. The former are not qualified jurors; the latter may or may not be qualified to serve, depending on the individual bias. When a venireperson expresses partiality toward a police officer’s testimony per se, that person should be excluded. State v. Stewart, 729 S.W.2d 246 (Mo. App. S.D. 1987). In State v. Jones, 692 S.W.2d 343 (Mo. App. E.D. 1985), the trial court’s failure to remove for cause a venireperson who was married to...