Opinion ID: 1501117
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Venireperson Willie Mae R.

Text: The prosecutor struck Willie Mae R. because of the following: [THE PROSECUTOR]: Your Honor, regarding Juror No. 162, Mrs. Willie Mae [R.], Miss [R.], again, I struck because of her feelings about the death penalty. I moved  I originally recorded that she said unequivocally that she would not impose the death penalty. She was rehabilitated by Ms. Kraft. She was left on the jury despite my protestation that she should be removed. I have that when Ms. Kraft questioned her about the death penalty Miss [R.] responded quote Not now, I don't think I could and then she stopped talking and when I asked her what she meant when she said quote Not now, I don't think I could unquote she responded that she was talking about the death penalty and then after a great deal of extreme confusion in which Miss [R.] came down on all sides of the issue she finally very angrily insisted that Well, I guess I could consider it, you know, you're confusing me but I guess I could I believe were her words. THE COURT: Karen, do you have any comment? [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: No, Judge. THE COURT: Very well. Let the record show that the Court finds beyond a reasonable doubt that the striking of by the State of Willie Mae [R.] was done on a racially neutral basis and therefore did not violate the precepts of Batson v. Kentucky . On a Batson challenge, the state's reasons for strike need only be facially race-neutral unless discriminatory intent is inherent within the explanation. State v. Brooks, 960 S.W.2d 479, 488 (Mo. banc 1997). The explanation will be deemed race-neutral, even if it is not persuasive. Id. When faced with a Batson challenge, the state must present a reasonably specific and clear race-neutral explanation for the peremptory strike. State v. Morrow, 968 S.W.2d 100, 113 (Mo. banc 1998). If the state does this, then it is the defendant's burden to show that the state's reasons were pretextual and that strikes were racially motivated. Id. Here, the state presented its reason for striking Willie Mae R., and Brown did not bear his burden by rebutting the explanation.