May a trial court, after a first round of jury selection, seat one prospective juror at a time rather than filing all vacant seats?

The answer is that although a court possesses such (time-consuming) authority, the practice 'should not be followed', People v. Edward Williams, -- NY2d --, (3/25/04). CPL 270.15(3) provides, in part, that persons excluded upon voir dire should be replaced in the jury box by an equal number from the panel or in its discretion, a court may direct that all sworn jurors be removed from the jury box and that the box be occupied by such additional number of persons from the panel.

In People v Williams, supra, defendant argued upon appeal that the court committed reversible error when, after five jurors were challenged, the court ordered one prospective juror at a time put …