Opinion ID: 2040431
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Appellate Court Decision

Text: The appellate court implicitly found that the record of venire members' race was sufficient for review and that defendant had established a prima facie case of purposeful discrimination under Batson. The court next characterized as race-neutral the State's explanations for three of its challenges but then stated that one of those explanations (that a venire member was single and unemployed) would not appear to be race-neutral if white venire members who were single and unemployed were not likewise challenged. The appellate court said that the inaccuracy of that venire member's juror card did not buttress the State's explanation and that the prosecutor's statement that she did not want those kind of people was not sufficiently explained. In addition, the appellate court noted the lack of explanation for the State's exercising its two other challenges of black venire members. The appellate court concluded that, on the basis of the unique set of facts relating to the Batson issue (citing People v. Colley (1988), 173 Ill.App.3d 798, 808, 123 Ill.Dec. 678, 528 N.E.2d 223), a proper Batson hearing had not been conducted and a remand should be ordered. Therefore, while affirming the circuit court in all other respects, the appellate court remanded the cause with respect to the Batson issue for a hearing on the present record and any additional record the parties decide to make for the purpose of determining whether    the State engaged in purposeful racial discrimination in exercising its peremptory challenges.