Opinion ID: 1377901
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Batson Challenge and Proffered Habit Evidence

Text: We reverse and remand based upon the interrogation by the lower court and the unjustified threat of contempt against Appellant's counsel; consequently, we only briefly address the Appellant's other assignments of error and find them meritless. The Appellant contends that the lower court erred by denying the Appellant's challenge to the defense's preemptory strike of the only black juror, Mrs. Elizabeth Craighead. In Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986), the United States Supreme Court enumerated standards for the inquiry to be conducted where a peremptory strike of a black juror is made and racial concerns are raised. In addressing the requirements of Batson, this Court has explained that a trial court is obligated to determine whether the explanation offered for the strike is credible or pretextual for racial discrimination. Parham v. Horace Mann Ins. Co., 200 W.Va. 609, 490 S.E.2d 696 (1997); State v. Rahman, 199 W.Va. 144, 483 S.E.2d 273 (1996). The lower court in the case sub judice thoroughly examined the Batson challenge and engaged in an appropriate analysis of the claims. We find that the lower court properly concluded that the defense had forwarded legitimate reasons for the strike based upon: (1) Mrs. Craighead's prior appearance before the Appellant's attorney in that attorney's capacity as a Family Law Master; (2) Mrs. Craighead's indication of potential involvement in a personal injury lawsuit, with the Appellant's attorney's husband serving as circuit court judge; (3) Mrs. Willard's recognition of Mrs. Craighead in Mrs. Willard's employment. Specifically, the lower court found: [T]he Court finds that the reason for striking No. 2, Ms. Craighead, was for an earnest good faith reason which amounted to a racially neutral reason, meaning that Ms. Craighead was not struck or removed from the panel because that she was black but for other reasons, the pending lawsuit or the fact that her vehicle, she was involved as a party to a lawsuit, and defense counsel has indicated that that's a standard practice of this particular defense counsel, to strike people who are involved in such suits. Plaintiff has not presented to the Court anything satisfactory to indicate that this reason was falsely stated or was a misrepresentation to the Court or anything of that sort. Therefore, the Court will deny the defendants'pardon me, the Court will uphold the defendants' right to strike Panel Member No. 2, Ms. Craighead, Elizabeth Craighead, as one of its two preemptory strikes and will deny the plaintiffs' objection thereto, and basically what amounts to plaintiffs' motion under Batson .... Discerning no impropriety in the lower court's ruling on that issue, we affirm the lower court's Batson ruling. Similarly, we affirm the lower court's determination that certain evidence offered by the Appellant for the purpose of establishing the safe bicycle operating habits of the Appellant was inadmissible. Ms. Shawna Padgett, the Appellant's sister, would have testified that she taught the Appellant how to ride a bicycle, that the Appellant was experienced in riding on the road and obeying traffic safety rules, that the Appellant was aware of her responsibilities as a bicyclist on the roadways, and that she was very familiar with the area in which the accident occurred. The trial's judge's determination that the offered evidence did not constitute habit evidence under Rule 406 of the West Virginia Rules of Evidence was not in error. [6] We have consistently held that in order to qualify as habit evidence, the testimony must establish a regularly repeated response of a person such that the response is semi-automatic. Rodgers v. Rodgers, 184 W.Va. 82, 399 S.E.2d 664 (1990). Syllabus point fourteen of Rodgers explains: Under Rule 406 of the West Virginia Rules of Evidence, evidence of a person's habit must be shown to be a regularly repeated response to similar factual situations. The trustworthiness of habit evidence lies in its regularity, such that the act or response is shown to be almost semiautomatic. 184 W.Va. at 86, 399 S.E.2d at 668, Syl. Pt. 14. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has provided the following guidance on the introduction of habit evidence: It is only when the examples offered to establish such pattern of conduct or habit are numerous enough to base an inference of systematic conduct and to establish one's regular response to a repeated specific situation or, to use the language of a leading text, where they are sufficiently regular or the circumstances sufficiently similar to outweigh the danger, if any of prejudice and confusion, that they are admissible to establish a pattern or habit. In determining whether the examples are numerous enough and sufficiently regular, the key criteria are adequacy of sampling and uniformity of response.... Wilson v. Volkswagen of America, Inc., 561 F.2d 494, 511 (4th Cir.1977), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 1020, 98 S.Ct. 744, 54 L.Ed.2d 768 (1978) (footnotes and citations omitted). We find that the lower court properly excluded the offered habit evidence based upon the fact that the proffered evidence did not tend to establish a repeated pattern of conduct rising to the level of systematic conduct. There is no evidence suggesting that the proffered witness had ever observed the Appellant in a situation similar to that which existed immediately prior to the accident. General testimony concerning the Appellant's level of skill in bicycle operation would not constitute habit evidence demonstrating a regularly repeated response to similar factual situations[,] as required by Rodgers. 184 W.Va. at 86, 399 S.E.2d at 668, Syl. Pt. 14, in part. We therefore affirm the lower court's ruling on that issue.