State v. Faucher

In State v. Faucher, 227 Wis. 2d 700, 720, 596 N.W.2d 770, 779 (1999), a prospective juror was acquainted with a key witness for the State and expressed a firm opinion that the witness was a person of integrity who would not lie. See Faucher, 227 Wis. 2d at 708, 596 N.W.2d at 774. Although the supreme court upheld the circuit court's determination that the juror was not subjectively biased, the court concluded that the juror was objectively biased because "a reasonable person in [the juror's] position could not set the opinion aside despite the best of intentions to do so." See Faucher, 227 Wis. 2d at 733, 596 N.W.2d at 785. Whether a particular juror is objectively biased depends on the facts and circumstances surrounding voir dire and the facts involved in the case. See id.