Opinion ID: 1159595
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Batson objection to venireperson Linda Preston

Text: ¶ 21 In addition to striking Mr. Veitch, the State exercised one of its peremptory strikes on Linda Preston, a black woman. After Martinez challenged this strike under Batson, the State offered the following reasons for striking Ms. Preston: The strike in terms of Linda Preston was made because of her views on the death penalty, Your Honor, and are racially and genderly neutral. Her feelings are very strong in that she states that some people that are innocent may accidentally lose their lives. Regardless of what they may say in response to questions like that, that's still an opinion they hold into the jury room, and I think I am entitled not to take a chance that that may sway their verdicts. Tr. Sept. 8, 1997 at 162. The trial court then asked the State if it had any other concerns about Ms. Preston. The State responded: I noticed that her brother was shot, and I don't know that he hasn't left some residual feelings with her. But in terms of that, it's basically her very, very strong beliefs on the death penalty issue, and her very strong opinions on that, because she also says that she would, in her response to, if you were charged with a similar offense, would you like people with your frame of mind? And she says: I hope they would have an opinion. And this is a very opinionated woman, and I feel that in terms of the death penalty issue, that it may sway her thinking. Id. at 162-63. The trial court permitted the strike. ¶ 22 On appeal, Martinez makes the same argument he made for Mr. Veitch and, again, fails to demonstrate error. As in the case of Mr. Veitch, the State provided three race-neutral reasons for striking Ms. Preston: (1) her strong opposition to the death penalty; (2) her strong opinions in general; and (3) her possible residual feelings about her brother's shooting. Martinez attacks these reasons and suggests that the record does not demonstrate that Ms. Preston was opinionated or that she was strongly opposed to the death penalty. But on her jury questionnaire, Ms. Preston clearly responded that she opposed the death penalty because some people that are innocent may lose their lives. Jury Questionnaire # 50, Question 41(b). During voir dire, although the questions were ambiguous, she stated that it would be difficult for her to evaluate the evidence in this case and make a determination of guilt or innocence based only on the evidence due to her preconceived notions regarding the death penalty. See Tr. Sept. 8, 1997 at 101-02. Martinez concedes that the State's reason for striking Ms. Preston because of her brother is supported by the record. And, as in the case of Mr. Veitch, the Caucasian jurors were not similarly situated. There was no error.