Opinion ID: 2331431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: ISSUE 5: McCULLOUGH'S BATSON CHALLENGE

Text: Next, McCullough argues that the State's exercise of a peremptory challenge to strike M.S., the only African-American male, from the jury panel violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution under Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). She makes two alternative arguments. First, she contends the district court failed to complete the required third step of the Batson analysis, so the case must be remanded for a full Batson hearing. Second, and in the alternative, McCullough argues the State's proffered reason for striking M.S. was pretextual, demonstrating purposeful discrimination, which entitles her to a new trial.