Steven Robles v. the People of the State of Colorado

Summary

The court held that routinely referring to prospective jurors by number rather than name did not create an anonymous jury or undermine the defendant's fair-trial rights because the jurors' identifying information was provided to the defense and the practice was not linked to the defendant or his presumed dangerousness. Because defense counsel did not object, the court reviewed the claim for plain error and found none, rejecting the related public-trial and equal-protection claims. Chief Justice Bender, dissenting, would have treated the routine anonymous selection practice as violating due process and would have ordered a new trial.