Opinion ID: 1586247
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether black potential jurors were systematically and unconstitutionally struck from the jury.

Text: ¶ 13. Long's entire argument on this issue is as follows: The transcript of the jury selection indicates that the jury was selected from an initial panel of 32 persons, 20 of whom were white, and 12 of whom were black. The prosecutor used his peremptory challenges to strike six jurors, four of whom were black, to which defense counsel objected.... The prosecution's behavior strongly suggests an unconstitutional systematic exclusion of African-Americans from the jury below, which would have had a discriminatory effect on Mr. Long, an African-American, in violation of [ Batson ], and in violation of applicable federal and state constitutional provisions. For that reason, if for no other, this case should be reversed and remanded. ¶ 14. Under Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986), a defendant must establish a prima facie case of purposeful discrimination as follows: To establish such a case, the defendant first must show that he is a member of a cognizable racial group ... and that the prosecutor has exercised peremptory challenges to remove from the venire members of the defendant's race. Second, the defendant is entitled to rely on the fact, as to which there can be no dispute, that peremptory challenges constitute a jury selection practice that permits those to discriminate who are of a mind to discriminate. ... Finally, the defendant must show that these facts and any other relevant circumstances raise an inference that the prosecutor used that practice to exclude the veniremen from the petit jury on account of their race. Batson, 476 U.S. at 96, 106 S.Ct. 1712 (citations omitted). However, as this Court has acknowledged, this test was somewhat modified by the U.S. Supreme Court in Powers v. Ohio, 499 U.S. 400, 111 S.Ct. 1364, 113 L.Ed.2d 411 (1991). In that case the Supreme Court held that Powers, a white, had standing to challenge the exclusion of black jurors on the grounds that the equal protection right of the juror to serve was protected by Batson. Powers, 499 U.S. at 406, 111 S.Ct. 1364. Essentially, this means that step three above becomes the pivotal inquiry to determine a prima facie case, as this Court recognized in Davis v. State, 660 So.2d 1228, 1240 (Miss.1995), cert. denied, 517 U.S. 1192, 116 S.Ct. 1684, 134 L.Ed.2d 785 (1996). Specifically, the pivotal question is whether the opponent of the strike has met the burden of showing that proponent has engaged in a pattern of strikes based on race or gender, or in other words the totality of the relevant facts gives rise to an inference of discriminatory purpose. Batson, 476 U.S. at 94, 106 S.Ct. 1712. Randall v. State, 716 So.2d at 587 (Miss. 1998). Pursuant to the third step, this Court has examined the number of strikes on a particular class, the ultimate ethnic or gender makeup of the jury, the nature of questions asked during the voir dire, and the overall demeanor of the attorney. Id. (citing Coleman v. State, 697 So.2d 777, 786 (Miss.1997); Davis, 660 So.2d at 1263 (Banks, J., concurring); Mack v. State, 650 So.2d 1289, 1299 (Miss.1994), cert. denied, 516 U.S. 880, 116 S.Ct. 214, 133 L.Ed.2d 146 (1995)). Additionally, `[t]he [opponent of the strike] may also rely on the fact that peremptory challenges constitute a jury selection practice that permits those to discriminate who are of a mind to discriminate.' Id. (citing Batson, 476 U.S. at 80, 106 S.Ct. at 1714). ¶ 15. Once the defendant has established a prima facie case of discrimination, the burden shifts to the State to provide a race-neutral reason for each strike. Batson, 476 U.S. at 97, 106 S.Ct. 1712. The trial court then makes a determination of whether the defendant has established purposeful discrimination. Id. at 98, 106 S.Ct. 1712. This Court has held that, in reviewing a Batson claim, we will not overrule a circuit court unless the record indicates the decision was clearly erroneous or contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Flowers v. State, 947 So.2d 910, 917 (Miss.2007). See also Thorson v. State, 721 So.2d 590, 593 (Miss. 1998). ¶ 16. In the instant case, the trial court found that Long, who is African-American, did not establish a prima facie case for racial discrimination and overruled the Batson challenge without requiring the State to provide race-neutral reasons for the strikes. ¶ 17. The record indicates that from the initial thirty-two jurors, the trial court struck five African-American jurors for cause, jurors 8, 12, 21, 24, and 29. The trial court also struck juror 35, a white male. Juror 1 was excused. In the first round of jury selection, the State used peremptory challenges on jurors 13 (white female), 16 (white female), 17 (black female) and 18 (black male). The State tendered jurors 2 (white male), 3 (white male), 4 (white male), 5 (black female), 6 (white male), 7 (white male), 9 (white female), 10 (white female), 11 (white male), 14 (white female), 15 (black female), and 19 (white female). Long used all six of his peremptory challenges in the first round on jurors 2 (white male), 3 (white male), 4 (white male), 6 (white male), 7 (white male), and 9 (white female). ¶ 18. In the second round, the State challenged jurors 23 (black female), and 28 (black female). The State accepted 20 (white female), 22 (black female), 25 (white male), 26 (white female), 27 (white male), and 30 (white female). With regard to the alternate, Long challenged juror 31 (white male), and juror 32 (white female) was tendered. ¶ 19. In summary, the final jury consisted of jurors 5 (black female), 10 (white female), 11 (white male), 14 (white female), 15 (black female), 19 (white female), 20 (white female), 22 (black female), 25 (white male), 26 (white female), 27 (white male), and 30 (white female). ¶ 20. The transcript of the jury selection indicates that the following exchange then occurred: BY [Long's Counsel]: Okay. Your Honor, I am quite certain that Mr. Long is unfamiliar with the case of Batson v. Kentucky , and I am just noticing here that the challenges by the State, S-1 is a white female. S-2 is a white female. S-3 is a black female. S-4 is a black male. S-5 is a black female and S-6 is a black female. So we have I guess 75 percentwell I better refrain from doing that. I think we have four out of six that are African-American, and so therefore, I think it would be incumbent for Mr. Long to invoke his rights under Batson and inquire if there are race neutral reasons for these challenges. BY THE COURT: Let me see your list. [Note: The Court Reporter furnished her jury list to the Court, and there was a long pause while the Court reviewed the race designations of the jurors. The jury list is included in the Circuit Clerk's record on this appeal.] BY THE COURT: Let the record reflect that on the panel there areout of the first 32, which would include going through the alternate selection, there are 20 white people and 12 black people on the panel. On the jury that was tendered that we have just selected, there are nine whites and three blacks. The State exercised all of its peremptory challenges, two of which were on white females, four of which were on black. One, I believe, was a male and the other three were black females. The Court finds that that does not make a prima facie case for racial discrimination in this case. Therefore, the Batson challenge is overruled. ¶ 21. Although the State was not required by the trial court to provide a race-neutral reason for each strike, this Court may consider the record as a whole in determining whether the trial court's decision was clearly erroneous or contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence. As stated previously herein, the standard established by this Court requires such an analysis. See Flowers v. State, 947 So.2d at 917; Thorson v. State, 721 So.2d at 593. ¶ 22. The State accepted two African-American jurors and challenged two white and two African-American jurors, Jessie Burt and Kevin Ellis, in the first round. Long used all six of his peremptory challenges against white jurors in the first round. The State then accepted one African-American juror and struck two African-American jurors in the second round. The record establishes that, during voir dire, Jessie Burt said that her son recently had been convicted of a drug offense and sent to prison. However, Burt also indicated that her son's conviction and incarceration would not affect her performing her duty in Long's case. Also during voir dire, Kevin Ellis said that he was a teacher's assistant at the alternative school and had worked with Long when he was as a student there. Ellis also said that he knew some of Long's family, was a close friend of Long's aunt and could not be fair and impartial. Ellis later indicated that he could be fair. The responses of Burt and Ellis during voir dire would be sufficient race-neutral reasons for the State to strike them from the venire. Therefore, these two strikes should not be considered as evidence of any intent by the prosecutor to discriminate. The record does not specifically indicate any race-neutral reasons the State may have had for striking the two African-American jurors in the second round. ¶ 23. Pursuant to the Batson standard stated above, Long established that: (1) he is a member of cognizable racial group; and (2) that the prosecutor has exercised peremptory challenges to remove from the venire members of Long's race. However, Long has failed to establish that the facts and any other relevant circumstances raise an inference that the prosecutor used that practice to exclude the veniremen from the petit jury on account of their race. Batson, 476 U.S. at 96, 106 S.Ct. 1712. Neither Long nor the record establishes that the prosecutor engaged in a pattern of strikes on the basis of race or gender. Moreover, neither Long nor the record establishes that the decision of the trial court was clearly erroneous or contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Flowers, 947 So.2d at 917. For these reasons, we find that this issue is without merit.