Opinion ID: 1619312
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Venireperson Straub

Text: Barnett contends that venireperson Straub was improperly struck from the jury panel because the prosecutor admitted that the strike was motivated by the fact that Straub was a female. At trial, the prosecutor explained her action by stating: I struck this juror because, as I said previously, I'm concerned about having weak people on this jury. I want people who I feel comfortable with being able to not only consider the death penalty but actually be able to do it. This is a very young female who is single. And I believe that because of that circumstance that she would not be a good state's juror. The prosecutor's response, in context, is that Ms. Straub was struck because she was very young and single, not because she was female. The words, very young and single are the focal points of the state's explanationthe operative words that the state used to verbalize why this particular venireperson was struck. Age and marital status are race-neutral, gender-neutral factors that the state may properly consider when making peremptory strikes. State v. Smith, 944 S.W.2d 901, 912 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 118 S.Ct. 377, 139 L.Ed.2d 294 (1997) (age); State v. Davis, 936 S.W.2d 838, 841 (Mo.App.1996) (marital status). The point is denied.