Opinion ID: 2632351
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Juror 16 - L. Richmond

Text: At the Batson hearing, the prosecutor contended that Richmond was struck because she had returned late from a break. The trial transcript indicates that Richmond returned late from the lunch break during voir dire, claiming that she was unable to find a parking spot. The prosecutor asserted that Richmond was also struck because she was a church janitor and because she had family members involved in a shooting 2 years before voir dire (her brother had shot her mother). The prosecutor claimed to be especially concerned with how Richmond would react, under the circumstances, to seeing the surveillance videotape of the shooting in this case. The State also noted in its brief that Richmond, when asked during voir dire if she had any ill will against the criminal justice system, replied, Well, kind of sort of. When asked to clarify her response, however, Richmond indicated that she did not harbor any ill will against the agencies and the system. Bolton asserted to the district court that his notes indicated that Richmond's brother had been in a mental institution 2 years prior to voir dire. Bolton also noted that Juror 34, P. Reed, who had not been struck from the panel, also had a family member who had had contact with law enforcement. Reed's husband had transported drugs prior to their marriage and had done time in prison.