Opinion ID: 1619312
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Venireperson Moore

Text: Barnett also claims that venireperson Moore was improperly struck because she, too, was female. The prosecutor explained the strike as follows: My concern with Ms. Moore is that she never answered any questions at all. There is just  I don't have a lot of information from her. And I don't feel comfortable with her not expressing any opinions or having any responses to questions that were posed. And I am just uncomfortable with the fact that she didn't answer any questions, and I struck her for that reason. She's an unknown person in that group. A prospective juror's silence, like Ms. Moore's silence in this case, is a permissible, facially neutral explanation for a peremptory strike. State v. Hughes, 944 S.W.2d 247, 248 (Mo.App.1997); State v. Ashley, 940 S.W.2d 927, 931 (Mo.App.1997); see also State v. Smulls, 935 S.W.2d 9, 15 (Mo. banc 1996). The reason is obvious: The state should not be required to take a risk on a prospective juror about whom little information is known. Nonetheless, Barnett contends that the prosecutor's stated rationale for striking Ms. Moore was merely pretextual because Moore was not silent, as the prosecutor claimed, and in any event, two similarly situated men were not struck. As to Ms. Moore's alleged silence, Barnett correctly points out that she did respond to at least one question. She answered Yes when the prosecutor asked if she could sign a death sentence verdict form if she served as the jury's foreperson. Although this lone response was not absolute silence, it still gave only scant indication of Ms. Moore's disposition. Without more information, the prosecutor's strike was justified. Barnett is also correct that the prosecutor declined to strike two men who had not responded to voir dire questions. While the existence of similarly situated white or male jurors who were not struck is some proof of pretext, it is not dispositive. State v. Nicklasson, 967 S.W.2d at 613. On these facts alone, this Court is unwilling to hold that the trial court committed clear error. The point is denied.