Haun Jurors Questioned About Death Penalty Views

When jury selection in the murder trial of Diana Haun began two weeks ago, it was billed by Judge Frederick A. Jones as the start of an adventure--an opportunity to serve on a compelling case in a foreign county.

But on Monday, the judge got down to the serious points of the case.

For the first time, Jones began individually questioning prospective jurors about their views on the death penalty to weed out those panelists who may harbor biases.

“As you know in this particular case, the district attorney is seeking the imposition of the death penalty,” Jones told a small group of potential jurors called into a Santa Barbara courtroom.

Prosecutors are seeking the ultimate punishment against Haun in the kidnap-slaying of homemaker Sherri Renee Dally. The 35-year-old Ventura woman was abducted from a Target store in May 1996, and her remains were found in a remote ravine north of the city a month later.

Haun, a 36-year-old grocery clerk from Port Hueneme, is charged with murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in connection with the slaying of Dally, who was the wife of Haun’s longtime lover, Michael Dally.

She also faces two special-circumstance allegations that make her eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Although her trial will be held in Ventura, a Santa Barbara jury is being sought to hear the case because of heavy pretrial publicity in Ventura County.

About 70 prospective jurors have been asked to return to Santa Barbara Superior Court this week and next as attorneys try to determine which ones may harbor biases for or against the death penalty.

Seventeen jury candidates were individually questioned Monday about their moral and philosophical views on the subject.

Could they consider sentencing Haun to death if she is found guilty of first-degree murder? Could they give the death penalty to a woman?

If the case reaches a penalty phase, they were asked, would they be willing to hear mitigating evidence about Haun’s childhood and her character? Or would the circumstances surrounding the killing weigh more heavily when choosing a sentence?

For some prospective jurors, the questions raised disturbing issues that they never imagined having to face.

“I’ve never done so much soul-searching about my thoughts on the death penalty before,” said one woman, who told attorneys she spent much of the holiday weekend thinking about whether she could vote to take another person’s life.

“I don’t know if I could do that,” she said in a soft voice before being excused by the judge.

One man who used to work in law enforcement told the attorneys that he used to see the death penalty as a black-and-white, eye-for-an-eye issue.

But in recent years, the man said, his views have changed--particularly after reading John Grisham’s novel “The Chamber” about a Southern man awaiting execution on Mississippi’s death row.

“It’s kind of softened my position,” he said of the book.

“Each case has to be taken in its individual merits,” the man continued. “I do believe the death penalty should be considered in certain cases.”

Ten of the jury candidates quizzed Monday were asked to return later this month for additional group questioning. Individual questioning of other jury candidates is scheduled to continue today and throughout the next two weeks.

Last week, attorneys narrowed the field of jury candidates from about 225 to 70, excusing the majority for financial or personal hardships.