Opinion ID: 1501117
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Venireperson Leslie W.

Text: The prosecutor struck Leslie W. because of her occupation and her husband's occupation. Leslie W. and her husband are artists. The prosecutor thought that she impressed him as a person with an artistic temperament. Leslie W. also was a telemarketer and telemarketers, according the prosecutor, are inclined to have many abrasive contacts with the criminal justice system or they know someone who has. In addition, the prosecutor stated that she was shaky on the death penalty. Peremptory strikes can be based on occupation, so long as they are race and gender-neutral. See State v. Jones, 979 S.W.2d 171, 185 (Mo. banc 1998); State v. Morrow, 968 S.W.2d 100, 114 (Mo. banc 1998); State v. Nicklasson, 967 S.W.2d 596, 614 (Mo. banc 1998). The reasons proposed by the prosecutor are sufficiently gender-neutral to support the trial court's ruling against Brown's challenge.