State v. Jonas

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The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the district court convicting Defendant of second-degree murder. On appeal, Defendant claimed, among other things, that he was forced to use a peremptory strike to disqualify a potential juror who should have been disqualified for cause, and therefore, reversal was required even though the potential juror was not seated and there was no specific showing of prejudice. The court of appeals affirmed the conviction. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the actual prejudice test of State v. Neuendorf, 509 N.W.2d 743 (Iowa 1993), rather than the automatic prejudice test of State v. Mootz, 808 N.W.2 207 (Iowa 2012), controlled in this case; and (2) consequently, Defendant could not succeed in this appeal. View "State v. Jonas" on Justia Law