Section 270.20. Trial jury; challenge for cause of an individual juror

1.    A challenge for cause is an objection to a prospective juror and
  may be made only on the ground that:
    (a)  He does not have the qualifications  required  by  the  judiciary
  law; or
    (b)    He  has  a  state  of  mind that is likely to preclude him from
  rendering an impartial verdict based upon the evidence  adduced  at  the
  trial; or
    (c)    He  is  related  within  the  sixth  degree by consanguinity or
  affinity to the defendant, or to the person  allegedly  injured  by  the
  crime  charged,  or to a prospective witness at the trial, or to counsel
  for the people or for the defendant; or  that  he  is  or  was  a  party
  adverse  to any such person in a civil action; or that he has complained
  against or been accused by any such person in a criminal action; or that
  he bears some other relationship to any such person of such nature  that
  it is likely to preclude him from rendering an impartial verdict; or
    (d)    He  was  a witness at the preliminary examination or before the
  grand jury or is to be a witness at the trial; or
    (e)  He served on the grand jury which found the indictment  in  issue
  or  served on a trial jury in a prior civil or criminal action involving
  the same incident charged in such indictment; or
    (f) The crime charged may be punishable by death and  the  prospective
  juror  entertains such conscientious opinions either against or in favor
  of such punishment as to preclude such juror from rendering an impartial
  verdict or from properly exercising the discretion conferred  upon  such
  juror  by  law  in  the  determination of a sentence pursuant to section
  400.27.
    2.  All issues of fact or law arising on the challenge must  be  tried
  and  determined  by  the court.   If the challenge is allowed, the court
  must exclude the person challenged from service.  An erroneous ruling by
  the court allowing  a  challenge  for  cause  by  the  people  does  not
  constitute  reversible  error  unless  the  people  have exhausted their
  peremptory challenges at the time or exhaust them before  the  selection
  of  the  jury  is complete.   An erroneous ruling by the court denying a
  challenge for cause by the  defendant  does  not  constitute  reversible
  error  unless  the  defendant has exhausted his peremptory challenges at
  the time or, if he has not, he peremptorily challenges such  prospective
  juror  and  his peremptory challenges are exhausted before the selection
  of the jury is complete.