I N TH E S UPR EM E C O U R T O F M I S S I S S I PPI N O. 2 0 0 5 - KA- 0 0 3 6 6 - S CT
K E N N E T H W . C H E ST E R a/ k/ a K E N N E T H C H E ST E R a/ k/ a K E NNY W A Y NE
v. S TATE O F M

I S S I S S I PPI
D AT E O F JU D G M E N T : 01/ 12/ 2005 TRI A L J U D G E: H O N
. M I K E S M I TH C O URT F RO M W HI C H AP P E

ALE D: P I K E

C O UN T Y C I RC UI T

C O URT ATTO RN EY

F O R A P P ELLA N T: P A

U L M
. LU C K ETT ATTO RN EY

F O R A P P ELLEE: O F F I C E O F THE ATTO RN EY G EN ERAL BY : BI LLY L. G O RE DI S T RI C T ATTO RN E

Y: DEW I TT BAT E S , J R. NAT U R E OF T HE C A S E : C R I M I NA L - F E L ONY D I SPO SI T

I O N : A FFI R M E D- 07/ 20/ 2006 M O T I O N F O R R

E HE AR I N G F I L E D: M AN DAT

E I S S UE D:
B E F O R ESM I T H , C .J., W A L L E R , P .J., A

N D D I C K

I N SO N , J. W ALLER , P

R ES I D I N G

J US TI CE, F O R TH E CO UR T: ¶ 1. K e n

n e t h W . C h e s t e r w a s c on

v i c t e d of pos s e s s i on of c oc a i n e w h i l e i n pos s e s s i on of a f i r e a r m , pos s e s s i on of m a ri hua na w hi l

e i n pos s e s s i on of a f i r e a r m , a n d pos s e s s i

on of a f i r e a r m b y a co n v i ct ed f el o n b y a P i k e C o u n t y C i rcu i t C o u r t j u r y an d sen t en ced to sev en t een y e ar s i n t h e cu s tod y of t h e M i s s i s s i pp i D epar t m en t of C o r r e c t i o ns . I t

i s f rom t h es e con v i ct i on s an d
s e n t e n c e s t h at h e n ow a ppe a l s .Wh en a B at s on c h a l l e n g e i s ra i s e d , a th re e - p ro n g e d i n qu i ry e n s u e s . F i rs t, th e p a rty 1 o b je c ti n g t o t h e p e r e m

p to ry c h a l l e n g e “ m u s t m ak e a p ri m a f a c i e s h o wi n g th at ra c e w a s th

e 2 F ACTS ¶2. T he f

a c t s l e a d ing

to K e n n e t h C h e s t e r ’ s a r r e s t a r e n ot at i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e , a n d t he
s u f f i c i e n c y a n d w e i g h t o f th e e v i d e n c e a re n o t ra i s e d o n a p p e a l
. A c c o rd i

n g l y , th e f a c ts o f th i s
c a s e a re b ri e f l y s u m m a ri z e d
. C h e s te r arran

g e d to s e ll c o c a i

n e p o wd e r to a

n i n f o rm a n t f o r th e M i s s i s s i pp i B u r eau of N ar c o t i cs ( M BN ) . C on

v er s at i on s bet w een C h es t er an d t h e i n f or m an t
w e re re c o rd e d

b y th e MBN
. A

w o m a n l ater i d e n ti f ie d a s F lo r a

B ri ste r ap p e a

redo n C h e ste r’s beh al f an d sol d t h e i n f or m an t cocai n e. B ri s t er w as ar r es t ed, an d i t w a s l ear n ed t h at s h e l i v ed at t h e s am e res i den ce a s C h es t er . A s e a r c h w a r r a nt w a s pr epared by t h e M BN to b e ex

ecu t ed
at C h e s t e r ’ s r e s i

de n c e . A u t h ori ti e s di s c ov e r e d c oc a i

n e a n d m a ri h u a n a i n h i s h om e . A pi s tol
w as a l s o d i

s cov ered i n C h es t er ’ s h om e du ri n g t h e ex ecu ti on of t h e s ear ch w ar r an t . C h es t er w as
c h a rg e d wi t h pos s e s s i on of a f i r e a r m , pos s e s s i

on of m a ri h u a n a w h i l e i n pos s e s s i on of a f ire a rm , a n d p o s s e s s i o n o f a f i r e a r m b y a c o n v i c t e d f e l o n . H e w a s a l

s o c h a rg e d wi t h in te n t to di s t ri bu t e t h e coca i n e an d m ar i h u an a. A j u

r y r et u r n ed v erdi ct s f i n di n g C h es t er g u i l t y of al l ch ar g es ex cept t he ch ar g es f or i n t en t to d i s t ri bu t e. C h es t er w as s en

t en ced as a h

abi t u al of f e n de r to s e v e n t e e n y e a r s i n pri s on . D I S C U S S I ON I . B A T S ON CHALLEN GES ¶3. C h

ester al l eg es t h at t h e S t a t e im

p ro p erl y u sed t w o o f i t s perem p to r y ch al l en g es ag ai n st t w o pot e n ti a l j u ror s s ol e l y ba s e d on t h e i r r a c e i n v i ol at i on of B at s o n v . K e n t u cky , 476 U .S. 79, 9 6
- 9 7 , 1 0 6 S
. C t. 1 7 1 2 , 1 7 2 3 , 9 0 L
. Ed
. 2 d 6 9 (1 9 8 6 ). C h e ste r arg u e s th at t h e c i rcu i t co u rt 1c r i

t e ri a f or t h e e x e rc i s e of t h e pe r e m ptor y s t ri ke .” L y n c h v . S ta te , 877 So. 2d 1254, 1270- 71 ( M i s s . 2 00 4) . S econ

d, t h e bu rden s h i f t s to t h e par t y w h o ex erci s ed t h e ch al l en g e to g i v e a r a c e - n e u t r a l r e a s o n f

o r e x e rc i s i n g t h e pe r e m ptor y s t ri ke
. Id
. at 1 2 7 1
. F i

n a l l y , th e tr i a l c o u rt de t e r m i n e s w h e t h e r t h e p a r t y obj e c ti n g to t h e pe r e m ptor y s t ri ke h a s s h ow n t h e pr e s e n c e of pu r pos e f u l di s c ri m i n ati o n in t he s t

ri ke ’ s u s e . Id
. at 1 2 7 2
. In

th e p res e n t ca se , th e c i rcu i t co u rt f o u n d th at C h e ste r m a d e a p ri m a f a c i e sh o wi n g o f th e u s e o f rac i

a l c ri teri a i n th e S tate’s e x e rc i s i n g o f s tri k e s a g a i n s t Ju ro rs Lo v e a n d B e n n e tt. 3 e rro n e o u sl y a c c e p tedth

e S t ate’s ra c e - n

e u tr a l e x p l a n ati o n s an d f a i l e d to m ak e o n th e rec o rd f i n di n gs c on c e r n i n g t h e t w o c h a l l e n g e s . W e g

i v e g r e at de f e r e nc e t o a t ri

a l c ou r t ’ s f i n di n gs of
w h e t h e r or n ot a pe r e m p t o r y c h a l l e n g e w a s r a c e - n

e u t r a l
. L y n c h v . S ta te , 877 So. 2d 1254, 1 2 7 0 (M i s s . 2 0 0 4 ); W

a lk e r v . S ta te , 8 15 S o. 2d12 09 , 1 21 4 ( M i s s . 2 00 2)
. S uc h d e f

e r en ce i s n ece s s ar y becau s e f i n di n g t h at a s t ri ki n g par t y en g ag ed i n di s cr i m i n at i on i s l a r gel y a f act u al f i n di n g a n d t h u s s h ou l d be a c c orde d a p p r o p r i

at e de f e r e n c e on a ppe a l
. I d. W e wi l l no t o ve r r ul e a t ri al cou r t on a B at s on r u l i n g u n l e s s t h e r e c ord i n di c at e s t ha t t he r ul

i n g w a s c l e a rl y e r ron e ou s
or a g a i n s t t h e ov e r w h e l m i n g w e i g h t of t h e e v i de n c e . Id
. J ur or # 32, H e l e n Lov e ¶4
. T h e fir s t v e n i

re m e m b e r C h e s te r a l l e g e s w a s i m p ro p e rl y s tru c k w a s J u ro r # 3 2 , H e le n Lo v e . C h e s t e r a rg u e s th e S tate o n

l y g av e Lo v e ’s e m p l o y m e n t w i th S a n d e rso n F a rm P o u l tr y P l a n t a s i ts r a c e - n e u tra l re a s o n fo r s tri

k i n g h e r a n d s u c h e x p l a n ati o n w a s i n s u f f i c i e n t to
ov ercom e t h e B at s on c h a l l e n g e . C h e ste r’s a rg u m e n t, th o u g h , i s n o t su p p o rte d b y th e rec o rd

w h i c h s h o w s th at th e S tate o ri

g i n a l l y c h a l l e n g e d Lo v e fo r c a u s e . A

p a s t i n c i d e n t i n a
co u r t ro o m i n v o l v i n g t h e sen t en ci n g o f Lo v e’ s h u sban d f o r a cri m e sh o w e d Lo v

e ex p r essi n g a di s t a s t e f or t h e di s t ri c t at tor n e y ’ s o f f i c e i n t h e pa s t , a n d t h e St at e a rg u e d s h e s i m pl y c ou l d n ot be t r u s t e d to be i

m pa r ti a l i n t h e pr e s e n t c a s e . T h e c i rc u i t c ou r t j u dg e r e f us e d t he c ha l

l e n g e f or4

c a u s e bu t s t at e d h

e w ou l d i n s t e a d l e t t he St at e “

u s e on e of y ou r pe r e m ptori e s on h e r .” A d d i ti o n a l l y , th e re i s n o m e n ti o n o f Lo v e ’s e m p l o y m e n t i n t h e S t a t e ’s re a so n

s f o r stri k i n g h e r. T h e S tate’s rac e - n

e u tr a l rea so n s w e re th

e sa m e o n e s u se d i n a n atte m p t t o c h a l l e n g e Lo v e ’s p l a c e m e n t o n th e ju ry f o r cau se . D i ss ati sf a c ti o n wi th p ro se c u t i

o n o r d i stri c t atto rn e y ’s
c o n d u c t i n a p a s t c a s e i

n v o l v i n g a f am i l y m e m b e r m a y p ro v i d e a ra c e - n e u tra l re a s o n fo r s t r ik i

n g
a j u ror . See T

h o r s o n v . S ta te , 895 So. 2 d 8 5 , 1 1 9 ( M i s s . 2004) . T

h e r e c ord s i

m pl y doe s n ot
s up p o r t C h

es t er ’ s cl ai m t h at t h e ci rcu i t cou r t er r ed i n acc epti n g t h e St ate’ s r ace - n

eu t r al
r e a s on s f or u s i n g on e of i t s pe r e m ptor y c h a l l e n g e s to r e m ov e H e l e n Lov e f rom t h e j u r y . J u r o r # 2 7 , Ca s e y Be n n e tt ¶ 5. T h e s e c on d m e m be r o f t he ve n

i r e C h e s t e r a rg u e s w a s i m prope rl y r e m ov e d w a s J u ror # 2 7 , C a s e y

B e n n e tt. Wh e n a s k e d to g i v e a ra c e - n e u t r a l re a s o n

f o r s tri k i n g B e n n e tt, th e S ta te
r es po n ded t h at B en n et t ’ s j u r y qu es ti on n ai r e rev eal ed t h at h er w or kp l ace w as acr

oss t h e s t r eet f ro m w h e re C h e ste r l i v e d
. T h e rec o rd a ls o r e v e a l

s s h e l i v e d a c ro ss th

e stree t f ro m C h e ste r’s
r e s i de n c e . T h e c i rc u i t c ou r t a c c e pt e d t

h i s r e a s on , a n d C h e s t e r a rg u e s t he c i rc u i t c ou r t j u dg e
e r r e d in doi

n g s o. Wh

e r e a j u ror r e s i des c a n prov i de a v a l i d r a c e - n e u t r a l r e a s on t ha t
ov ercom es a B at s on c ha l l e nge . See G i b s o n v

. S ta te , 7 3 1 S o . 2 d

1 0 8 7 , 1 0 9 6 (Mi

ss . 1 9 9 8 ); B a r n e tt v . S ta te , 7 57 S o. 2d32 3, 32 7 ( M i s s . C t . A pp . 2 0 0 0 )
. A l s o, t

h e record sh

ow s t h at C h e s t e r e v e n a dm i t t e d t h e c i rc u i t c ou r t ’ s r u l i n g f i n di n g t h e St at e ’ s r a c e - ne u

t r a l r e a s on f or st ri k i n g B en n et t to b e u n d er stan d ab l e an d ag r eei n g i t w as f o r n o n d i scr i m i n at o r y r e a son s. T h u s, th e re c o rd d o e s n o t su p p o r t C h e s t e r ’s a

rg u m e n t th at th e c i rc u i t c o u rt e rre d i n f i n d i n g th at th e S t ate’ s r ace - n

eu t r al r eas on f or s t ri ki n g B en n et t was v al i d a nd di

d n ot v i ol ate B at s on . I I . S E A

RC H A ND S E I Z U RE5

¶6
. In h i s p ro s e b ri

e f , C h e s te r a l l e g e s th a t h is F o u r t h a n

d F o u rte e n th A m e n dm e n t ri g h ts
w e r e v i ol at e d be c a

u s e h e w a s n ot g i v e n a c opy of t h e s e a rc h w a r r a n t by of f i c e r s o f t he M i s s i s s i p p i B u re a u o f N a r c o t ic s w

h e n th e y s e a rc h e d h i s h o m e . Wh i l e C h e s te r a l l e g e s th i s i n f or m at i on w as r ecorded du

ri n g a s u pp r es s i o n h

ear i n g , n o t r an s cr i pt of t h at h ear i n g i s i n cl u ded i n th e re c o rd
. W e c a

n n o t d e c i d e i s s u e s o n d i re c t a p p e a l w h e n th e y a re n o t su p p o rte d b y th e
r e c ord. P u lp h u sv

. S ta te , 7 82 S o. 2d12 20 , 1 22 4 ( M i s s . 2 00 1) ( "

I s s u es can n ot be deci ded b a s e d o n a s s e rti

o n s f ro m th e b ri e f s a l o n e . T h e i s s u e s m u s t b e s u p p o rte d a n d p ro v e d b y th e
re c o rd
. " ) (c i ti n g R o b in s o n v . S ta te , 6 62 S o. 2d 11 00 , 1 10 4 ( M i

s s . 1 99 5) ) . A dd i

ti on al l y , ev en i f su ch a h eari n g co u l d b e f o u n d i n t h e r eco rd , C h

ester ’ s ar g u m en t st i l l f a i l s . W h i l e Mi

ss. C ode A n n . § 41- 29- 157 ( a ) ( 3) ( R e v . 2005) c l

e a rl y di c t a t e s C h e s t e r s h ou l d h av e r e c e i v e d a c opy of t h e w a r r a n t , w e h av e n e v e r h e l d t h at f a i l ur e to f ol l ow t h i s proc e du

r e c on s ti t u t e s r e v e r s i bl e
e r ror or v oi ds a n ot h e r wi s e v a l i d s e a r c h. See W

ill ia m sv . S ta te , 583 So. 2d 620, 624- 25 ( M i s s . 1991) . B e c a

u s e t h i s i s s u e f i n ds n o s u ppor t i n t h e r e c ord, i t i s wi t h ou t m e ri t . I I I . I N EFF

ECTI VE AS S I S TAN CE O F CO UN S EL ¶7
. C h

e ste r arg u e s th at h i s c o u n s e l w a s i

n e f f e c ti v e b y f a i l i n g to i n v e sti g ate w h e th e r a pr op er s ear ch w ar r an t w as ex ecu t ed du ri n g t he s e ar

ch an d sei z u r e of C h es t er ’ s h om e an d pr op er t y a nd b y f

ai l i n g to o bt ai n a t r an s cr i pt of a s u pp r es s i on h ear i n g t h at w ou l d h av e pr ov en
s u c h v i o l ati o n s o c c u rr e d
. C h

e s te r a g a i n f a i l s to p o i n t to a n y p a rt o f th e re c o rd to s u b s ta n ti ate h i s cl ai m t h at a s up pr es s i

on h ear i n g w as ev er h el d. We c an

n ot con s i der cl ai m s n ot s u pp or t ed by t h e r e c ord on

di r e c t a ppe a l , a n d, a s s u c h , t h i s i s s ue i s w i t hou

t m e ri t . See P ul

phus , 782 S o . 2 d at 1 2 2 4 ; R obi ns on , 662 So. 2d at 1104. C ON C L U S I ON6

¶ 8. B eca

u s e C h es t er h as f ai l ed t o r a i s e a ny er

ror s w ar r an ti n g r ev er s al , w e af f i r m t h e ci rcu i t
c ou r t ’ s j u dg m e n t . ¶ 9. C O U

NT I : C O NV

I C T I O N O F

U NLA W FU L P O S S E S S I O N O F

L E S S T H

A N O NE T E NT H ( 0 . 1 ) GRAM O F

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ND S E NT E NC EO F

E I GH T ( 8 ) Y E A RS I N T H EC U S T O DY O F TH E M I S S I S S I PPI D EPAR TM EN T O F C O R R EC TI O N S A N D PA Y M EN T O F A F I N E OF $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 , AFF

I R M ED . COUN T I I : CON VI CT I O N OF UN LA W FUL P O S S ES S I O N O F

AT LEAS T THI R TY

(3 0 ) GR AM S B UT LES S TH AN TW O H UN D R ED F I F TY ( 2 5 0 ) GRAM S O F

M A RI H U A NA W H I L EI N P O S S E S S I O N O F A F I RE A RM BY A HA B I T U A L OF F E N D E R A

N D S E N T E N C EOF

S I X (6 ) Y E A R S I N T HEC U S T OD Y OF T H EM I S S I S S I PP

I DE P A RT M E NT

O F C O RRE C T I O NS A

N D P A Y M E N T O F A F IN E O F $ 3 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 , A

FFI R M ED . C O U

N T I I I : C O N V

I C TI O N O F PO S S ES S I O N O F A F I RE A RM B Y A C O NV I C T E D F

E L O N W

H O I S A

H A B I T U A L O FF E NDE R A

ND S EN TE N C E O F TH R EE (3 ) Y EAR S I N TH E C U S TO D Y O F TH E M I S S I S S I PPI D E P A R T M E N T

O F C O R R E C T I O N S A

N D P A Y M E N T O F

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L L C OU N T S S HA

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E LY F OR A T OT A L OF S E V E N T E E N (1 7 ) Y

E A R S , T HES E V

E N T E E N (1 7 ) Y

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E D D A Y F OR D AY W I TH O U T B E N EF

I T O F EAR LY

R ELEAS E, P

R O B ATI O N O R P

AR O LE. A PP E L LA N T S HA L L P A Y C OU R T A PP O I N T E D A T T OR N E Y ’S F E E S I N T HE A M O U N T O F $4 ,0 00 .0 0 A

N D A L L C O U R T C O ST S. S M I T H, C . J . , C OB B , P . J . , D I A Z , E A S L E Y

, C A R L S ON , GR A

V E S , D I C KIN S ON A N D R A N D O L PH , JJ., C O N C U

R .