Opinion ID: 2510413
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Venirepersons D.C. and C.M.

Text: As to D.C. and C.M., Trotter argues that the State did not completely and accurately present the facts. If the defendant or the trial court do not correct errors in the prosecutor's statements of fact supporting his or her reasons for exercising peremptory challenges, these facts are considered to be true for purposes of determining whether the prosecutor set forth a race-neutral reason for the strike. State v. Betts, 272 Kan. at 396. We have reviewed Trotter's argument that the prosecutor's reasons for striking African-American jurors are not supported by the facts. We find that argument is without merit. Trotter highlights D.C.'s general statement that he could follow the law. However, D.C. explained that he was mixed up about the death penalty because of the contradiction between obeying the law and his belief that he should not judge another person. We note that, when the prosecutor asked D.C. if he believed the death penalty was a proper punishment, D.C. stated he did not know. These statements support the prosecutor's belief that D.C. was equivocal about the death penalty, and the reason for striking D.C. is race-neutral. As to C.M., the record supports the prosecutor's claim that C.M. had undergone anger management counseling, blamed law enforcement for the terrorist attacks, and did not believe in the death penalty. Trotter points out that C.M. stated the counseling would not affect his ability to be fair and impartial. Trotter then argues that the State was required to probe more deeply into the effect of C.M.'s anger management counseling and his opinion regarding the police's responsibility for the terrorist attacks. We disagree. For the proposition that the State has to ask questions directly related to the reason for its peremptory strikes, Trotter relies on State v. Fischer, No. 87,740, Court of Appeals unpublished opinion filed July 16, 2004. Fischer does not support that proposition. In noting the defendant's claim that the State had not asked any questions of the stricken minority jurors, the Fischer court observed that the failure to ask any questions could give rise to an inference the strikes were racially motivated. (Emphasis added.) State v. Fischer, slip op. at 2. However, the Fischer court concluded that the claim was without merit because the State had asked questions of the stricken minority jurors. Fischer implies that the State must ask some questions about a potential juror before striking him or her. Contrary to Trotter's argument, Kansas law does not require the State to present reasons that have a relationship to the case. State v. Bolton, 274 Kan. at 17. With C.M., it is possible that the State was concerned about C.M.'s anger management problems and his potential interactions with other jurors during deliberations. Nevertheless, the State's reason for striking C.M. is race-neutral.