Opinion ID: 2032026
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Venire Member Love

Text: The record reveals the following statements as offered by Assistant State's Attorney Gordon in explanation for the exclusion of venire member Love. When the court asked the prospective jurors to look at both the defense attorneys and the defendant and then to look at the prosecutors, venire member Love never made eye contact or even looked at the prosecution's table. Gordon stated that when a prospective juror cannot look the prosecutors in the face when asked to do so by the judge, that raises a red flag. According to Gordon, the prosecutors perceived [Love] as being hostile to [them] and for that reason, Love was excluded. The court stated that the State's explanation for the exclusion of Love was subjective. However, in evaluating the explanation, the court stated that it could use certain factors. In that regard, the court noted that key witnesses in the case were black and that a number of persons on the jury appeared to be black. But for those facts, the court stated, the State's explanation for excluding Love would not have been adequate. The court stated that if it was wrong with respect to the number of black jurors, the defense could renew its motion for a mistrial. Prior to commencement of trial, the jury was called to be sworn. Only 2 of the 12 jurors were black. Defendant renewed his motion for a mistrial. The State then offered an additional explanation for excusing Love. Rodi stated that Gordon had additionally pointed out that Love had answered questions incorrectly on her juror service card regarding prior service. Rodi also reiterated her perception that Love appeared hostile to the prosecution. The court acknowledged that there were only two black jurors, but recalled that there were additional factors supporting the court's finding of no purposeful discrimination. Therefore, the court declined to alter its prior ruling. Subsequently, during the course of the hearing in aggravation and mitigation, the court entertained defendant's motion for a new trial. In that motion, defendant again asserted his Batson claim. The court responded that it was satisfied with the manner in which the Batson claim had been previously handled. The court then pointed out that at least half of the witnesses for the State were black and that the most compelling witnesses, who would arouse the sympathy of the jurors, were black. Additionally, the court noted that the principal investigating detective in the case, as well as the decedent's girlfriend, were black. The court stated that it could see no motive for the prosecutor to discriminate racially: Trial tactics would be appropriate the other way. In response to defendant's further argument, the court noted additionally that there were black persons on the jury who had not been peremptorily challenged; the State was several short of using all of its challenges. The court stated that when it saw that there were only two black jurors as opposed to the three or four it had originally anticipated, it was not significant in light of all of the other factors the court had considered. The court further stated that now that the trial was over, having seen all of the witnesses, it was even more convinced that the State had no motive to discriminate. The court then noted that the victim was black and again that most of the witnesses, including the victim's family members, who testified were black. The court again concluded that its findings with respect to the Batson claim were correct. On appeal here, defendant argues that the State's explanation for excluding Love was mere pretext. Defendant notes this court's admonition that demeanor-based explanations are subjective and must, therefore, be closely scrutinized. (See Harris, 129 Ill.2d 123, 135 Ill.Dec. 861, 544 N.E.2d 357.) He then urges that we follow the reasoning in two sister State cases, Wright v. State (Fla. 1991), 586 So.2d 1024, and Smith v. Texas (Tex.Ct.App.1990), 790 S.W.2d 794. Both Wright and Smith are cited for the proposition that where a peremptory challenge is demeanor based, there must be confirmation on the record that the court also observed that demeanor. We have not heretofore required confirmation on the record that the trial court observed the same demeanor as did the State. (See People v. Fryer (1993), 247 Ill. App.3d 1051, 1062, 187 Ill.Dec. 786, 618 N.E.2d 377 (rejecting defendant's argument that demeanor-based explanation requires confirmation by the court).) A person's demeanor, subjective as it is, is subject to more than one interpretation. Therefore, that the court did not observe or that the court's interpretation of a prospective juror's demeanor differs from the challenger's observation would not necessarily be dispositive. While confirmation that the trial court observed the same demeanor as did the challenger would lend credence to any purported race-neutral explanation, we believe it sufficient that the court must closely examine such explanation in light of its observation and other relevant factors. Here, the trial court was not unmindful of the need to scrutinize the State's demeanor-based explanation. In assessing that explanation, the court expressly noted the subjectivity of the State's assessment of Love. The court again stated its reliance on other factors, such as the number of peremptory challenges used by the State, as well as the race of key witnesses in the case. See People v. Peeples (1993), 155 Ill.2d 422, 469, 186 Ill. Dec. 341, 616 N.E.2d 294. We note additionally that the court observed the demeanor and assessed the credibility of prosecutors Rodi and Gordon. Although the court was wrong in the number of black jurors it had originally anticipated, the court was able to support its findings with other factors. We cannot say that those findings were clearly erroneous. See Harris, 164 Ill.2d at 333, 207 Ill.Dec. 400, 647 N.E.2d 893. Mindful of the deference to be accorded the trial court's findings, we perceive no error in the court's determination of no purposeful discrimination in the exclusion of prospective jurors Canady and Love. Defendant suffered no equal protection violation.