Coleman v. State

In Coleman v. State, 286 Ga. 291, 296 (5) (687 SE2d 427) (2009), the trial court struck for cause a juror who only indicated that she knew the defendant's family, attended the same church, and knew a little about the case. Yet the trial court did not ascertain whether "she held an opinion so fixed and definite that she could not set it aside and decide the case based on the evidence or the court's charge on the evidence." Id. Nevertheless, without a showing that a competent and unbiased jury was not selected, there was no reversible error: "A defendant has no vested interest in a particular juror but rather is entitled only to a legal and impartial jury; thus, the . . . (dismissal) for cause (for a reason that is not constitutionally impermissible), even if erroneous, affords no ground of complaint if a competent and unbiased jury is selected." Perry v. State, 264 Ga. 524 (2) (448 SE2d 444) (1994). There being no showing that a competent and unbiased jury was not selected, the assertion of error is without merit. Id.