Opinion ID: 2054238
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: failure to object to the use of peremptory strikes

Text: Appellant first contends trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the use of peremptory strikes by the prosecutor. Appellant asserts the prosecutor deliberately used his peremptory strikes to exclude all blacks from the jury, with the exception of one alternate juror. In support of his claim, Appellant relies on Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986), even though he concedes that Batson was not decided until after his conviction. Essentially, Appellant is asking this Court to equate the Batson standard for reviewing discrimination in the use of peremptory strikes with the earlier standard of Swain v. Alabama, 380 U.S. 202, 85 S.Ct. 824, 13 L.Ed.2d 759 (1965). This we cannot do. Swain and Batson apply different evidentiary standards and place the burden of proof on different parties. Allen v. Hardy, 478 U.S. 255, 106 S.Ct. 2878, 92 L.Ed.2d 199 (1986). In Swain, the Supreme Court held that a prosecutor was presumed to have properly exercised his peremptory challenges. In order to rebut that presumption, the defendant had to establish a pattern of discrimination by relying on cases other than his own where the prosecution had used peremptory strikes. Under Batson, a defendant may establish a prima facie case of intentional discrimination in jury selection by establishing he is a member of a cognizable racial group, the prosecution used peremptory challenges to remove jurors of the defendant's race, and the facts and relevant circumstances of the case raise an inference that the prosecutor used peremptory challenges to discriminate intentionally. Batson, 476 U.S. at 96, 106 S.Ct. at 1722. Once the defendant makes a prima facie case, the burden shifts to the State to come forward with a neutral explanation for challenging black jurors. Id. at 97, 106 S.Ct. at 1723. Thus, the two standards cannot be equated. Furthermore, even assuming Appellant is entitled to raise a Batson claim on collateral review, [4] it is clear from our review of the record that no constitutional violation was committed. In this case Appellant is black, and the prosecution did use peremptory challenges to remove two blacks, James Howard and Gene Spady, from the jury venire. However, the facts and relevant circumstances contradict Appellant's assertion that the prosecutor used peremptory challenges to discriminate intentionally. At his second post-conviction hearing, Appellant testified that he did not want Mr. Howard on the jury, and had so advised his trial counsel. N.T., October 3, 1991, at 30-31. Trial counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for acquiescing to Appellant's request. Concerning Mr. Spady, Appellant made no recommendation to his trial counsel. However, had Mr. Spady been chosen to sit on the jury, he would only have been an alternate juror because twelve individuals had already been chosen. Furthermore, because no alternate juror was called on to deliberate on Appellant's case, Appellant was not prejudiced by Mr. Spady's exclusion. Not only does Appellant fail to establish a prima facie case of intentional discrimination, but the prosecutor has a neutral explanation regarding the use of peremptory strikes. The record from Appellant's second PCRA hearing reveals that the prosecutor struck Mr. Howard and Mr. Spady from the jury venire because of their reluctance to impose the death penalty. N.T., October 3, 1991 at 92, 94. The prosecutor also testified that Mr. Spady was struck because he was relatively young and only had a short employment history, qualities which the Commonwealth viewed as undesirable. N.T., October 3, 1991 at 94. Thus, because Appellant's underlying Batson claim has no merit, Appellant cannot argue his counsel was ineffective. Consequently, Appellant is not entitled to PCRA relief.