Opinion ID: 2510413
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Venirepersons R.C. and J.C.

Text: Next, Trotter argues that there is no support for the State's concern that R.C. and J.C. would not have voted for the death penalty. Both R.C. and J.C. were involved in Christian ministriesR.C. as a pastor and J.C. as part of a prison ministry. Trotter seems to argue that the State had to make a specific connection during its voir dire questioning between the potential jurors' ministries and their service as jurors. As previously noted, this argument is without merit. In addition, striking a potential juror because he or she is a minister or married to a minister is a facially neutral reason. State v. Adams, 269 Kan. 681, 685-86, 8 P.3d 724 (2000) (upholding strike because potential juror was married to a minister); State v. Alexander, 268 Kan. at 620 (concluding that the trial court was in the best position to assess the minister's demeanor when he said he felt he could not render a fair verdict because of his religious beliefs but later stated that he could perform his duty as a juror). The trial court did not abuse its discretion when it found the State's reasons for striking R.C. and J.C. to be race-neutral.