Opinion ID: 2548141
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Batson Steps Two and Three

Text: Pursuant to step two of the Batson analysis, the burden shifted to the defendants to articulate race neutral reasons for their use of peremptory challenges. To rebut a prima facie showing of intentional discrimination, the proponent of a peremptory challenge must offer a race-neutral explanation. Batson, 476 U.S. at 97, 106 S.Ct. 1712. See also, Snyder v. Louisiana, 552 U.S. 472, 477, 128 S.Ct. 1203, 1207, 170 L.Ed.2d 175 (2008); Purkett v. Elem, 514 U.S. 765, 767, 115 S.Ct. 1769, 1770, 131 L.Ed.2d 834 (1995). This explanation does not have to be persuasive, or even plausible, but must be more than a mere affirmation of good faith or assumption that the challenged juror would be partial to the defendant because of their shared race. Purkett, 514 U.S. at 768, 115 S.Ct. 1769; Hernandez, 500 U.S. at 360, 111 S.Ct. 1859; Batson, 476 U.S. at 97, 106 S.Ct. 1712. At the second step of the Batson inquiry, the issue is the facial validity of the striking party's explanation. Purkett, 514 U.S. at 768, 115 S.Ct. 1769; Hernandez, 500 U.S. at 360, 111 S.Ct. 1859; Sparks, 68 So.3d at 474. Unless a discriminatory intent is inherent in the striking party's explanation, the reason offered will be deemed race-neutral. Id. According to the record, before the trial court finalized its decision that the State had satisfied step one of the Batson analysis, the defendants offered race-neutral reasons for their use of peremptory challenges. After hearing the reasons for each stricken juror, the court concluded that the reasons given for nine of the jurors were not sufficient to overcome the prima facie case made by the State and ordered those jurors to be re-seated, as outlined under La. C. Cr. P. art. 795(E). The proffered race-neutral reasons for these nine jurors are summarized below: Tonya Harper-Smith Counsel for Nelson argued that Ms. Smith was pro-prosecution because she interacted freely with the State during voir dire, while counsel for Nelson did not get much interaction. She also expressed suspicion over family members offering alibis for defendants because they would have a motivation to be untruthful. The court ruled Nelson's reasons were not compelling, and ordered Ms. Smith re-seated on the panel. Angela Maher Counsel for Nelson explained that Ms. Maher believed she knew the assistant district attorney on the case because they both had fishing camps on Lake Claiborne. Further, Ms. Maher expressed reservations about defense alibis, believing a friend or a relative would automatically take up for the defendant. The Court found her connection with the district attorney to be tenuous, and combined with the fact that she was dismissed by a backstrike, ordered her re-seated. The trial court later stated he was ordering her re-seated because the reasons offered failed to negate the prima facie case established by the State. Ms. Maher was later removed for cause. Angela D'Angelo Counsel for Nelson urged that Ms. D'Angelo strongly favored the prosecution in the sense of being okay with people who flip (witnesses who testify pursuant to a plea bargain). Further, Ms. D'Angelo expressed reservations about defense alibis, believing a friend or a relative would automatically take up for the defendant. The court did not find the reasoning to be specific enough and ordered her re-seated on the panel. The trial court later stated he was ordering her re-seated because the reasons offered failed to negate the prima facie case established by the State. Brandi Cruse Counsel for Nelson stated she was not very interactive with him in terms of eye contact. He further elaborated: My biggest thing with her was she didn't interact with me. She sat there like a lump and didn't want to answer questions and didn't look at me. It's basically there was no interaction whatsoever with me. Counsel viewed her as a follower that was going to sit there and do whatever. The court ordered her re-seated without specific reasons. The trial court later stated he was ordering her re-seated because the reasons offered failed to negate the prima facie case established by the State. Kyle Nordman Counsel for Nelson urged that Mr. Nordman misunderstood the burden of proof, believing it was defendant's duty to disprove his guilt. The State rebutted that Mr. Nordman was rehabilitated upon further questioning, and expressed his understanding of the State's burden of proof and the defendant's choice not to testify at trial. The court re-seated Mr. Nordman on the panel without specific reasons. Lucky Reed Counsel for Nelson stated he perceived Mr. Reed was not serious about jury service. Mr. Reed was late arriving for jury service, flippant in responses to questions, and appeared to interact in a flirtatious manner with a female juror. The court initially ordered Mr. Reed re-seated, but then noted he was not available. Sandra Clower Counsel for Goldman stated Ms. Clower's overall demeanor appeared to be very pro-State. She acted in accord with the district attorney, nodding her head in agreement when he spoke. He further averred that Ms. Clower's favorable view of witnesses who testify in exchange for plea deals was additional evidence of bias toward the State. The court ordered Ms. Clower returned to the panel without reasons. Sandra Sibley Counsel for Goldman stated Ms. Sibley seemed to be very pro-police. She was convinced that police officers never made an arrest without sufficient evidence. The court rejected the defendant's reasons because they failed to negate the presumption raised by the State establishment of a prima facie case. However, Ms. Sibley was not re-seated because she was unavailable. Pamela Auttonberry Counsel for Goldman was concerned about her view on alibi witnesses. Counsel stated she was very negative about alibi witnesses, believing friends and family would lie for the defendant. Counsel noted her view that reputable witnesses were preferable to family and friends of defendant. The court found the reason insufficient to rebut a prima facie case of racial discrimination established by the state and re-seated Ms. Auttonberry. After reviewing the race-neutral reasons offered for each of the nine jurors ordered re-seated, we find the trial court improperly applied step two of the Batson analysis, and erred in refusing to accept defendants' proffered race-neutral reasons. A fair reading of defendants' explanations for striking these jurors reflect race-neutral justifications. Louisiana courts have found a myriad of explanations to qualify as race-neutral reasons. See, e.g., State v. Scott, 04-1312 (La.1/19/06), 921 So.2d 904 (State's justification for striking a prospective African-American juror, that she had a son the same age as defendant and would feel sympathy for defendant's mother, was sufficiently neutral to survive a Batson challenge), cert. denied, 549 U.S. 858, 127 S.Ct. 137, 166 L.Ed.2d 100; State v. Wilson, 40,767 (La.App. 2 Cir. 8/23/06), 938 So.2d 1111 (Prosecutor offered legitimate, race-neutral reason for striking African-American juror when it argued that juror was a minister's wife and might hesitate to impose the death penalty), writ denied, 06-2323 (La.4/20/07), 954 So.3d 159, cert. denied, 552 U.S. 917, 128 S.Ct. 275, 169 L.Ed.2d 201; State v. Parker, 04-1017 (La. App. 5 Cir. 3/29/05, 901 So.2d 513) (When accepted by the trial judge, the lodging of a peremptory challenge based on a juror's body language does not violate Batson ), writ denied, 05-1451 (La. 1/13/06), 920 So.2d 235; State v. Woods, 97-0800 (La. App. 1 Cir. 6/29/98, 713 So.2d 1231) (Prospective juror's mistaken belief that prosecutor had represented prospective juror in a lawsuit was a legitimate, race-neutral justification for state's peremptory strike), writ denied, 98-3041 (La.4/1/99), 741 So.2d 1281. This Court has followed federal jurisprudence in holding that the explanation offered need not be persuasive, or even plausible, and unless a discriminatory intent is inherent in the explanation, the reason offered may be deemed race-neutral. See, Allen, 913 So.2d at 798; Jacobs, 803 So.2d at 938. In reviewing the trial court's action, the court of appeal ignored these guidelines, merely finding that the race-neutral reasons offered by defendant were thin and that the State had adequately rebutted each of those reasons. Nelson, 41 So.3d at 657. While the trial court found the number of challenges against white jurors to be eyebrow raising, we find defendants presented plausible and reasonable race-neutral reasons that negate an inference of purposeful racial discrimination sufficient to satisfy step two of Batson. Whether the reasons are substantial, or whether they are supported by the record, is a question to be determined in the third stage of the Batson analysis. State v. Green, 94-0887 (La.5/22/95), 655 So.2d 272, 289. The burden in step two is merely one of production, not one of persuasion. Myers, 761 So.2d at 501. In step three of the Batson analysis, the court must then determine whether the objecting party has carried his burden of proving purposeful discrimination. Miller-El v. Dretke, 545 U.S. 231, 125 S.Ct. 2317, 2331-32, 162 L.Ed.2d 196 (2005); Batson, 476 U.S. at 98, 106 S.Ct. 1712. This final step involves evaluating the persuasiveness of the justification proffered by the striking party, but the ultimate burden of persuasion regarding racial motivation rests with, and never shifts from, the opponent of the strike. Purkett, 514 U.S. at 768, 115 S.Ct. 1769. In Purkett, the Supreme Court warned against combining Batson's second and third steps into one, requiring that the justification tendered at the second step be not just neutral but also at least minimally persuasive. Purkett, 514 U.S. at 768, 115 S.Ct. 1769. Instead, the Court noted [i]t is not until the third step that the persuasiveness of the justification becomes relevantthe step in which the trial court determines whether the opponent of the strike has carried his burden of proving purposeful discrimination. Id. The Court explained that blurring the Batson stages can impermissibly shift the burden onto the proponent of the strike: But to say that a trial judge may choose to disbelieve a silly or superstitious reason at step three is quite different from saying that a trial judge must terminate the inquiry at step two when the race-neutral reason is silly or superstitious. The latter violates the principle that the ultimate burden of persuasion regarding racial motivation rests with, and never shifts from, the opponent of the strike. Id. After reviewing the record, it is clear the trial court merged the steps of the Batson analysis which improperly shifted the burden of proof to defense counselthe proponent of the strike. The record unquestionably demonstrates the trial court never made a finding that the race neutral reasons offered by defendants were pretextual. Although none of the proffered reasons appears to inherently violate equal protection, the court nonetheless rejected nine of them for no specific reason. In rejecting defendants' proffered race-neutral reasons, the trial court reasoned that defendants failed to rebut the State's prima facie case of discrimination, essentially finding the defendants' reasons not persuasive enough. The court erred in putting the burden of persuasion on the defendants. See, Green, 655 So.2d at 290. Batson makes clear that the burden is on the opponent of the strike to show purposeful discrimination. See, Batson, 476 U.S. at 94, 106 S.Ct. 1712. [11] Even more remarkable is the fact that the trial court ordered the jurors re-seated although it declined to find that defense counsel engaged in purposeful discrimination. The record reflects the court ordered the jurors re-seated immediately after hearing and rejecting defendants' race-neutral reasons, without conducting an analysis of any of the considerations found indicative of purposeful discrimination, as set forth by the Supreme Court. See, Miller-El, 545 U.S. at 255-63, 125 S.Ct. 2317. The trial court made repeated statements that although there was no evidence to suggest defense counsel's reasons were pretextual or that defense counsel had any discriminatory intent, the discriminatory effect of the peremptory challenges used by defense counsel was sufficient to violate Batson. The trial court's reluctance to impugn the motive of counsel and refusal to find purposeful discrimination runs afoul of the Supreme Court's reminder in Hernandez: A court addressing this issue must keep in mind the fundamental principle that official action will not be held unconstitutional solely because it results in a racially disproportionate impact. . . . Proof of racially discriminatory intent or purpose is required to show a violation of the Equal Protection Clause. Hernandez, 500 U.S. at 359-60, 111 S.Ct. 1859 (internal citations omitted). The Court further explained that [d]iscriminatory purpose . . . implies more than intent as volition or intent as awareness of consequences. It implies that the decisionmaker. . . selected . . . a particular course of action at least in part because of, not merely in spite of, its adverse effects upon an identifiable group. Id. (Internal citations omitted). A determination of purposeful discrimination or discriminatory intent or discriminatory motive is essential in step three. See, Batson, 476 U.S. at 98, 106 S.Ct. 1712; see also, Miller-El, 545 U.S. at 253, 125 S.Ct. 2317 (discussing clues to the prosecutors' intentions); State v. Coleman, 06-0518 (La.11/2/07), 970 So.2d 511, 516 (finding the State consciously took race into account). We have found no authority to permit a trial court to find a Batson violation based upon a de facto effect alone. Thus, we find the court of appeal erred in affirming the trial court's finding of a Batson violation. Because the trial court's application of Batson was legally flawed, we must reverse the finding that defendants violated Batson.