Opinion ID: 1960214
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Discriminatory Exercise of Peremptory Challenges

Text: Defendant claims that the prosecutor exercised peremptory challenges in a racially discriminatory manner in violation of Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). Under Batson, a defendant objecting to a peremptory challenge must first establish a prima facie case of discrimination by showing facts and relevant circumstances which raise an inference that the prosecutor used the challenges to exclude potential jurors on account of race. The burden of production then shifts to the prosecutor to come forward with a race-neutral explanation for the challenges. The explanation need not be persuasive, or even plausible, and unless a discriminatory intent is inherent in the prosecutor's explanation, the reason offered may be deemed race-neutral. Purkett v. Elem, 514 U.S. 765, 767, 115 S.Ct. 1769, 131 L.Ed.2d 834 (1995) (per curiam) Purkett, supra . The trial court then must decide whether the defendant has proved purposeful racial discrimination. State v. Collier, 553 So.2d 815, 818 (La.1989). The ultimate burden of persuasion remains on the defendant to prove purposeful discrimination. Id.; Hernandez v. New York, 500 U.S. 352, 111 S.Ct. 1859, 114 L.Ed.2d 395 (1991). The proper inquiry in the final stage of the Batson analysis is whether the defendant's proof, when weighed against the prosecutor's proffered race-neutral reasons, is sufficient to persuade the trial court that such discriminatory intent is present. State v. Hobley, 98-2460, p. 18 (La.12/15/99), 752 So.2d 771, 782. The trial judge's determination of purposeful discrimination rests largely on credibility evaluations, and these findings are entitled to great deference by the reviewing court. Batson, 476 U.S. at 99 n. 21, 106 S.Ct. 1712.