Opinion ID: 2120964
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Defense's Rebuttal

Text: Defense counsel and the trial judge then had a spirited exchange over counsel's inquiry as to whether the State would offer more evidence prior to the defense's rebuttal. During this colloquy, defense counsel said: The motion I filed was a motion for you to declare a prima facie case. To this, the judge replied: The motions you filed I am putting in the file. I was told to conduct a hearing as I read what the Supreme Court told me to do, not you. You can supplement the record any way you wish to. After a continuance to review the voir dire transcripts to which the prosecution had referred, defense counsel argued at length in rebuttal of each prosecution explanation. As defense counsel neared the end of his argument, the following exchange occurred: THE COURT: Let me ask you a question. The Supreme Court is going to have to answer for all of us. Merely because the victim is white and the defendant is black, can you excuse him for that reason? Is that a valid peremptory challenge? MR. ISAACSON [assistant public defender]: Because the defendant is black and the victim white? THE COURT: Yes. MR. ISAACSON: I think, it is absolutely clear you cannot. THE COURT: I am not too sure. I ask it because I wish they would answer that question for me because I think that is the whole problem which is wrong with peremptory challenges. Proceed.