Court Opinion

ID: 9733138
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 16:54:31.514844+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:27:02.196119
License: Public Domain

WAHL, Justice
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. The removal of the only black prospective juror for cause, *779under the facts and circumstances of this case, was a denial of defendant’s right to equal protection of the laws requiring a new trial.
For over a hundred years, the United States Supreme Court has been “unyielding in its position that a defendant is denied equal protection of the laws when tried before a jury from which members of his or her race have been excluded by the State’s purposeful conduct.” Powers v. Ohio, — U.S. -, 111 S.Ct. 1364, 1367, 113 L.Ed.2d 411 (1991).1 In denying an individual the opportunity to participate in jury service because of that individual’s race, the State also unconstitutionally discriminates against the excluded juror. Id. Ill S.Ct. at 1369; Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co., — U.S. -, 111 S.Ct. 2077, 2080, 114 L.Ed.2d 660, (1991); Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 87, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 1718, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). Furthermore, “[rjacial bias [within the courtroom] mars the integrity of the judicial system and prevents the idea of democratic government from becoming a reality.” Edmonson, 111 S.Ct. at 2087. Thus, ultimately, the harm caused by such “discriminatory jury selection extends beyond that inflicted on the defendant and the excluded juror to touch the entire community.” Batson, 476 U.S. at 87, 106 S.Ct. at 1718.
In Batson, the United States Supreme Court held that a criminal defendant “may establish a prima facie case of purposeful discrimination in the selection of the petit jury solely on evidence concerning the prosecutor’s exercise of peremptory challenges at the defendant’s trial.” Batson, 476 U.S. at 96, 106 S.Ct. at 1723. Until Batson it was not possible to scrutinize a prosecutor’s motives in using peremptory challenges, unless those motives were volunteered, because a prosecutor was not required to put them on the record. Bat-son laid out a procedure by which the defense could, by establishing a prima facie case of discrimination, overcome the prosecutor’s presumption of fairness and shift the burden of proof to the state. Id. at 94, 106 S.Ct. at 1721. At this point the prosecution is required to articulate a racially neutral reason for its use of a peremptory challenge, a reason that may then be challenged by the defense as pretextual, examined by the trial court,2 and, if necessary, reviewed by an appellate court. Batson, 476 U.S. at 94, 106 S.Ct. at 1721.
In the case before us, the defendant, a black man, seeks to extend the Batson inquiry to the prosecutor’s use of challenges for cause. Defendant claims he was denied equal protection of the laws and is entitled to a new trial because the prosecutor removed, for cause, the only black prospective juror — Cheryl Ann Cotton — from the venire panel and defendant was tried by an all white jury for the murder of a white man. The challenge for cause was a pretext for discrimination, defendant argues, because the facts show that the prosecutor’s stated reasons for the challenge for cause were not applied consistently to all jurors regardless of race and that Ms. Cotton could have tried the case fairly and impartially.
Batson was necessarily limited to the facts before it — the use of peremptory challenges to exclude individuals who have survived a challenge for cause. Nothing in Batson suggests, however, that evidence of race discrimination in the use of a challenge for cause may be ignored or that a *780challenge for cause has a fortiori met the standard required for Batson.3 It would be untenable to require the trial court to inquire into the possibly discriminatory use of a peremptory challenge and not require a similar inquiry into the use of a challenge for cause if facts surrounding its use suggest that the explanation given is pretextual and a discriminatory motive exists. Indeed, the majority opinion recognizes that “a case may arise in which the facts undoubtedly suggest that the prosecutor has challenged for cause a juror for racially discriminatory reasons and the trial court has erred in granting the motion.” At 776. The question before us is whether this is such a case. In my view, it is.
Ms. Cheryl Ann Cotton, the only black potential juror,4 was subjected to treatment that differed significantly from that given to white potential jurors. Differing treatment can be seen in the type and manner of questioning by which the prosecutor established cause. Ms. Cotton admitted that a family member had difficulties with alcohol. She stated that she could keep her family problems out of the court room, focusing on the evidence presented in this case. She also agreed, when asked by the defense, that there was no “reason that [she] wouldn’t want to sit on this case.”
The prosecutor then questioned her repeatedly about her attitude towards alcohol. Her responses varied: “[Ujnless I have heard the story, then I don’t think it would [affect my judgment].”; “I think unconsciously [my feelings about alcoholism] might [affect my judgment].”; “I think I could listen to [the evidence objectively]. The alcoholism part, that might have some interference, you know, yeah, thinking of it.”; “I think I could set [my feelings] aside. As far as like personally, how that individual was on alcohol, aside from this court, as this individual is.”; “I think [my feelings] might have a disfavora-ble effect, because I just — the way I feel so strongly against alcohol, that I could block it out, I mean as far as personal experience is, but just the drinking part, you know, I don’t think I would feel comfortable listening to the testimony.”
After this extensive questioning, the prosecutor asked: “Would you rather not sit on this case?” Answer: “Yeah, I’d rather not.” Prosecutor: “Can you explain to the judge why you would rather not sit on the case?” Answer: “Yes, sir.” Prosecutor: “Why is that?” Answer: “Because just personal experiences with alcoholism, and my background.” The Court responded: “That certainly is adequate foundation.”
The defense asked for and was given an opportunity to redirect on the challenge for cause. During redirect, Ms. Cotton agreed that she could be aware of her feelings and not include them in her deliberations. The prosecutor acknowledged that the attitude Ms. Cotton displayed toward alcohol use was one likely to be favorable to the prosecution and that he was, in fact, challenging her because of her negative experience with the police.5 Although a potential ju*781ror’s negative experience with the police could qualify as a race-neutral reason for excusing the juror for cause, any explanation articulated by the prosecutor must be “ ‘related, to the particular case to be tried.’ ” Ex parte Branch, 526 So.2d 609, 621 (Ala.1987) (quoting Batson, 476 U.S. at 98, 106 S.Ct. at 1724; emphasis in original). Importantly, the state’s case against defendant here did not rest on the credibility of police testimony.
Ms. Cotton was excused for cause and here the matter would rest, except that the extensive questioning directed toward Ms. Cotton by the prosecutor, questioning designed to invoke a response likely to disqualify her, was not also directed toward a white male venire panel member who had indicated that he had a similar background in regard to alcohol use and possible police bias. The first potential juror questioned, Mr. William Repke, stated, in response to a question by the Court, that he had been arrested several years earlier for a DWI. Mr. Repke stated, in response to questions by the defense, that his father was an alcoholic and that he had observed people who were out of control from too much alcohol. He stated, however, that he understood that this was not an excuse to a crime. The prosecution asked Mr. Repke no questions concerning his attitude towards alcoholism or alcohol use.
In response to a question by the defense, Mr. Repke acknowledged that he felt that he had not been treated fairly by the police during his DWI arrest. The prosecution asked Mr. Repke no questions concerning his attitudes towards the police. Neither attorney asked whether he could set aside his personal feelings concerning the police. Mr. Repke was, however, accepted by both the defense and the prosecution. In light of the prosecutor’s decision not to strike, or even to question, a white male potential juror with a background of personal experi-enees virtually indistinguishable from those of Ms. Cotton, his explanation for the use of a challenge for cause appears to be pretextual.
Rigorous scrutiny by the trial court of the prosecutor’s reasons for challenges where an inference of race discrimination has been established is necessary to separate “valid racially neutral reasons from pretexts designed to hide discriminatory purpose.” State v. Collier, 553 So.2d 815, 818 (La.1989). The prosecutor’s reasons must be considered in light of the susceptibility of the particular case to race discrimination. In determining the susceptibility to race discrimination, the court may consider the race of the defendant, the victim and the primary witnesses. State v. Butler, 731 S.W.2d 265, 269 (Mo.App.1987). The trial court must examine the reason itself to determine if, for instance, it is obviously contrived or insufficiently related to the facts of the case at hand. The presence of one or more of the following fact patterns would tend to raise an inference of discrimination and “would weigh against the legitimacy of a race-neutral explanation”:
* * * (2) failure to examine the juror or perfunctory examination, assuming neither the trial court nor opposing counsel had questioned the juror, (3) singling the juror out for special questioning designed to evoke a certain response, (4) the prosecutor’s reason is unrelated to the facts of the case, and (5) a challenge based on reasons equally applicable to juror[s] who were not challenged.
State v. Slappy, 522 So.2d 18, 22 (Fla.), cert. denied, Florida v. Slappy, 487 U.S. 1219, 108 S.Ct. 2873, 101 L.Ed.2d 909 (1988); see also Branch, 526 So.2d at 623 (listing, in addition, the prosecutor's use of challenges to dismiss all or most black jurors). The trial court must evaluate the prosecutor’s reasons for the use of chal*782lenges, in light of the particular facts and circumstances of the case, as he or she would weigh any disputed fact. Slappy, 522 So.2d at 22. If the reasons are found to be pretextual, the challenge for cause must be denied.
An independent review of the record, in light of the facts and circumstances of this case, requires a finding that the prosecutor’s proferred reasons for removing the only black potential juror for cause are pretextual. The trial court erred in granting the motion to remove. I would reverse and remand for a new trial.

. See also Swain v. Alabama, 380 U.S. 202, 203-04, 85 S.Ct. 824, 826-27, 13 L.Ed.2d 759 (1965) ("[A] State’s purposeful or deliberate denial to Negroes on account of race of participation as jurors in the administration of justice violates the Equal Protection Clause.”), overruled in part by Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 87, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 1718, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986); Strauder v. West Virginia, 100 U.S. 303, 309, 25 L.Ed. 664 (1879) (Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees to defendant a trial by a jury "selected without discrimination against his color.”).

. If the facts surrounding the use of challenges suggest racial discrimination, "the court has a duty to satisfy itself that the prosecutor’s challenges were based on constitutionally permissible trial-related considerations, and that the proffered reasons are genuine ones, and not merely a pretext for discrimination.” Garrett v. Morris, 815 F.2d 509, 511 (8th Cir.1987), cert. denied, Jones v. Garrett, 484 U.S. 898, 108 S.Ct. 233, 98- L.Ed.2d 191 (1987).

. The inquiry is different. A challenge for cause requires an examination of situation-specific bias on the part of the potential juror. A Batson-type inquiry examines the possibility of racially discriminatory motives on the part of the prosecutor.
The exclusion of an individual juror from a jury "for cause" is rarely litigated, except in death penalty cases. See, e.g., Gray v. Mississippi, 481 U.S. 648, 107 S.Ct. 2045, 95 L.Ed.2d 622 (1987). Death penalty cases and cases susceptible to race discrimination make clear that the interests of the defendant in a fair trial are directly affected by the particular makeup of the jury and that the interests of justice require a breadth of experience in a jury.

. Ms. Cotton was the only member of a racial minority in the jury pool. As voir dire was beginning, defendant’s attorney, seeing only one black individual in the jury pool, expressed concern that the jury could be all white and, because the defendant was black and the victim was white, that the possibility of racial bias affecting the outcome of this case existed. Defendant moved to strike the panel. The motion was denied.

.The prosecutor said: "Had she not answered the way she had, I would have been happy to keep her because I have got some black witnesses and it's been my experience that she would work just to the reverse of what is being suggested by the defense. It is my view she would have returned a verdict of guilty. She is predisposed against people who have this difficulty [alcoholism]. I challenged for actual or implied bias because of the answers she gave with respect to *781the officer and the answer she gave to the defense and to me that she couldn’t be fair." The defense responded: "Your Honor, but she did say that she could be fair.” The Court: "She didn’t." Defense: “Yes, she did." The Court: "Well, I am not going to argue with you, we're going to call the next juror.”
Ms. Cotton had acknowledged that she was dissatisfied with the manner in which the police had handled a situation involving her father. In his questioning, the prosecutor asked: "If police officers were called to testify in this case, do you think you might give some lesser weight to what they said because of the situation that happened some time back?” Ms. Cotton responded: "Probably would think like that, yeah.” No further questions were asked regarding her attitudes towards the police.