Case Title: Lee v. State

Citation: 

Docket Number: CR96-553

State: arkansas

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Date: 1997-03-24T00:00:00Z

Document:
Ledell LEE v. STATE of Arkansas

CR 96-553                                          ___ S.W.2d ___

                    Supreme Court of Arkansas
                Opinion delivered March 24, 1997


1.   Jury -- selection of -- factors necessary to establish prima
     facie case of systematic exclusion. -- Selection of a petit
     jury from a representative cross-section of the community is
     an essential component of the Sixth Amendment right to a jury
     trial; the State may not deliberately or systematically deny
     to members of a defendant's race the right to participate, as
     jurors, in the administration of justice; in order to
     establish a prima facie case of deliberate or systematic
     exclusion, a defendant must prove that: (1) the group alleged
     to be excluded is a "distinctive" group in the community; (2)
     the representation of this group in venires from which the
     juries are selected is not fair and reasonable in relation to
     the number of such persons in the community; and (3) this
     underrepresentation is due to systematic exclusion of the
     group in the jury-selection process. 

2.   Jury -- second and third factors necessary to prove prima
     facie systematic exclusion not present -- trial court did not
     err in denying appellant's motion to prohibit use of voter-
     registration records to select jury. -- Where appellant failed
     to provide any evidence as to the number of African-Americans
     on every jury venire in Pulaski County, he failed to satisfy
     the second prong of the Duren v. Missouri,