Sure, but my point is, there are more subtle ways of getting that information that don’t subject a PJ to derisive laughter or embarrassment. One is to inquire about jury nullification. It solicits the same information but is less fraught.
Prosecutor: “Mr. Smith, what’s your view about the moon landing?”
Mr. Smith: “Well, everyone knows that didn’t really happen.”
All Most of the other jurors laugh nervously. How can they not?
Prosecutor: “Mr. Smith, what’s your view on jury nullification?”
Mr. Smith: “What’s that?”
Prosecutor: “That’s when a sworn juror chooses to disregard the actual evidence in the case and the judge’s instructions in order to render a verdict they believe to be more just.”
Mr. Smith: “Oh, I would never do that.”
The prosecutor just educated the entire panel and groomed Mr. Smith by getting him to agree he would not nullify the jury’s verdict if sufficient evidence was produced within the judge’s instructions to convict him. Belief or non-belief in the moon landing is irrelevant, and the juror’s belief in same is not made to embarrass him.
Or:
Prosecutor: “Mr. Smith, what’s your view on jury nullification?”
Mr. Smith: “I believe in it. If I think a different verdict should be rendered no matter what the evidence actually shows, I would not hesitate to nullify the verdict.”
Prosecutor: “Motion to excuse for cause, your honor.”
Judge: “Granted. With our thanks, Mr. Smith, you’re excused from further service on this jury.”
The prosecutor didn’t even have to burn a peremptory challenge.
The only downside is that you’ve now educated other prospective jurors on exactly how to get out of sitting on the case. But IMHO, you don’t want those people anyway.
Here’s another quick way to get at how a PJ feels that does not stray into the territory of irrelevance:
Prosecutor: “Mr. Smith, how do you feel about the government?”
Mr. Smith: “I think it sucks.”
You know the rest.
Obviously, the above scenario occurs if voir dire takes place in open court. One of the many reasons these sorts of questions are best asked on a questionnaire is so the answers won’t taint the rest of the panel. Especially important when the pool of available jurors is already especially shallow.