Opinion ID: 1610587
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Is Nixon entitled to relief under Batson v. Kentucky ?

Text: Although Nixon made no objection to the racial makeup of the jury, on appeal he contends he was denied the right to equal protection of the law because the prosecutor set out to achieve an all-white jury through abuse of his [peremptory] challenges. (Emphasis added) It should be noted at the outset that Nixon is a white male, 59 years old, and that the jury was composed of twelve whites, and the victim was a white female. The State initially argues Nixon's Batson argument is procedurally barred because there was no objection at trial. See Williams v. State, 507 So.2d 50 (Miss. 1987); Jones v. State, 517 So.2d 1295 (Miss. 1987) (on petition for rehearing); Irving v. State, 498 So.2d 305, 318 (Miss. 1986). The State's next argument is that Nixon's claim fails on the merits. This Court agrees. Nixon relies on the now-familiar decision in Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). In Batson, the United States Supreme Court held that the Equal Protection Clause forbids the prosecutor to challenge potential jurors solely on account of their race or on the assumption that black jurors as a group will be unable impartially to consider the State's case against a black defendant. 476 U.S. at 89, 106 S.Ct. at 1719, 90 L.Ed.2d at 83. To establish a prima facie case under Batson, a petitioner must establish: (1) that he is a member of a cognizable racial group, (2) that the prosecutor has exercised peremptory challenges toward the elimination of veniremen of the defendant's race and (3) that attendant facts and circumstances infer that these challenges were made for the purpose of striking minorities from the jury. 476 U.S. at 96, 106 S.Ct. at 1723, 90 L.Ed.2d at 87. Given the fact that Nixon is white and the jury was made up of three white men and nine white women, this Court holds that Nixon has not and could not present a prima facie case for relief under Batson. Therefore, this assignment of error is without merit.