Court Opinion

ID: 9754442
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 20:00:37.536685+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:27:53.425188
License: Public Domain

KELLY, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion. Appellant’s tenth question for review raises the issue of whether the trial court committed prejudicial error in denying a defense motion to dismiss the jury panel from which all potential black jurors had been removed either by challenge *79for cause or by peremptory challenge.1 The majority finds no error. I, however, find error and accordingly dissent.
Although Pennsylvania courts adopted the rationale of Swain v. Alabama, 380 U.S. 202, 85 S.Ct. 824, 13 L.Ed.2d 759 (1965) in cases such as Commonwealth v. Martin, 461 Pa. 289, 336 A.2d 290 (1975) (then Justice Nix, now Chief Justice, dissenting) these holdings are no longer constitutionally valid in light of the very recent United States Supreme Court decision in Batson v. Kentucky, — U.S. -, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). Batson, supra, specifically overruled Swain, supra, and therefore overruled all of Swain’s progeny throughout the states, including the Pennsylvania holding in Martin, supra.2 The Swain standard stated that in order for a defendant to establish a prima facie case of discrimination, systematic exclusion by the prosecution of black venirepersons in several cases within a jurisdiction must be shown. Batson set forth a new standard: a defendant must merely raise an inference of discrimination in his or her own particular jury selection process, thus establishing a lesser burden of proof.
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 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 on account of their race.
*80Batson, — U.S. at —, 106 S.Ct. at 1723, 90 L.Ed.2d at 87, 88 (Citations omitted).
There are three prongs to the newly enunciated standard of proof. We do note that defendant on appeal has raised several points which may satisfy this new standard. First, defendant as a black man is a member of a cognizable racial group. Moreover, the prosecutor exercised four peremptory challenges to remove all black venirepersons from the jury so that defendant was tried by an all-white jury. Second, appellant may “rely on the fact” that the peremptory challenges permitted “those to discriminate who are of a mind to discriminate.”
As to the third prong, among the possible “relevant circumstances” the U.S. Supreme Court suggests are the Swain type systematic exclusion of racial minorities, an underrepresentation of minorities in the venire, or prosecutorial conduct during voir dire, including a pattern of strikes against black jurors. Batson, supra — U.S. at —, 106 S.Ct. at 1723, 90 L.Ed.2d at 88. This list is by no means intended to be exhaustive.
A review of the record in this case revealed that trial counsel attempted to suggest in the court below that there was an underrepresentation of minorities in the venire. In chambers, before voir dire, counsel for defense noted:
... I have seen the panel. There are 50 members of the panel. Only eight of these people are black.
My client is black. It is my feeling that, since approximately 45 percent of the population of the city is black, that there should be a greater percentage on this panel in order for my client to have what is constitutionally guaranteed to him, that is, a fair trial by his peers.
Clearly here is a situation where there are 50 on this panel and each individual has seven peremptory strikes, the District Attorney is in a position of getting either an all-white panel or virtually an all-white panel to try this case against my client. It is for that reason that I make this motion.
*81(N.T. 3/27/78, p. 46).3
I would further suggest that an examination of the backgrounds of each of the black venirepersons struck from the jury panel, including their age, gender, education level and employment history, may provide further proof of discriminatory intent. The court on remand may be able to discern whether there were any common factors among the challenged venirepersons, other than their race, which fit any permissable “neutral” strategy on the Commonwealth’s part.4
In addition to the determination of whether an underrepresentation of minorities in the venire occurred, and in addition to examination of the record with particular emphasis on voir dire, the entire record of the trial should be reviewed as it may be helpful in determining whether the Commonwealth harbored discriminatory intentions. The fruit of discriminatory preparations during voir dire may be harvested both during trial and at closing arguments. Thus, by the use of hindsight, the trial court on remand may also decide that the prosecutor’s closing remarks raise an inference of discrimination in the jury selection process. For instance, the prosecutor stated in his closing remarks:
Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you that this case is about a murder that took place in South Philadelphia, *82in the projects. It is not the kind of a case which carries with it a complex motive. No, this is a typical South Philadelphia job, as the policemen say. It’s a job. It’s a typical South Philadelphia ghetto type job.
(Emphasis added). (N.T. 71a). Although this comment does not specifically enunciate the predominantly racial character of the South Philadelphia projects, the all white jury, having observed the black defendant and black neighborhood witnesses, could not fail to draw the correlation between “ghetto”, “projects” and “black”.5
I express no opinion as to whether appellant has in fact raised an inference as to discrimination in jury selection. However, because I find that defendant has raised a meritorious issue I would grant him the same remedy afforded the appellant in the Batson case.
The remedy afforded appellant in Batson was to remand the case for further proceedings to determine first if the facts made out a prima facie showing of purposeful discrimination and second if the prosecutor was able to come forward with a “neutral explanation” for his peremptory challenges.
The lower court would then decide the credibility of the prosecutor’s explanation, and the constitutional permissibility of the prosecutor’s actions. If the prosecutor fails to provide an adequate “neutral explanation,” the Supreme Court holding is clear: “our precedents require that petitioner’s conviction be reversed.” Batson, — U.S. at —, 106 S.Ct. at 1725, 90 L.Ed.2d at 90.6
*83The Supreme Court’s decision marks an important change in the law of jury selection and it is our constitutional duty to comply with this pronouncement. We cannot “sit supinely by” and “flaunt justice”, (U.S. Justice Marshall, concurring opinion in Batson, quoting Chief Justice Nix in Martin, supra, 461 Pa. at 299, 336 A.2d 290, Nix, J., dissenting). Accordingly, I dissent.

. One black venireperson was excluded for cause; the remaining four black potential jurors were peremptorily struck by the Commonwealth. Only one white venireperson was peremptorily challenged by the Commonwealth.

. Batson, supra, was decided on 14th Amendment Equal Protection grounds.

. From our examination of the record the prosecutor, in chambers, did not address or even refute the defense counsel’s concerns but merely cited Swain, supra as permitting him to practice any peremptory challenges he desired. (N.T. 3/27/78 at 47). In fact, the Commonwealth behaved exactly as the defense had predicted, exercising its peremptory challenge to exclude each otherwise acceptable black venireperson to be called forward for voir dire. The result was an all-white jury.

. The 4 jurors excised by peremptory challenges were:
Juror 54 — a 24 year old single female social worker with a graduate degree;
Juror 298 — a 26 year old married female postal employee and high school graduate;
Juror 360 — a married 57 year old male unemployed welder (18 months unemployed);
Juror 213 — a 48 year old married woman who did not graduate from high school — unemployed.
(N.T. p. 278, 317, 328, 412).

. As our eminent Chief Justice Nix wrote in his dissent in Martin, supra 461 Pa. at 299, 336 A.2d 290:
In northern communities systematic exclusion of an entire racial group from juries is rarely seen. More frequently, the problem arises in cases where the facts give rise to racial overtones and where an objective and unbiased jury is most needed.

. Batson specifically affords retroactive relief to similarly situated defendants. Four justices, Justices Brennan, Marshall, Stevens and Blackmun joined Justice Powell in holding the Batson decision should have retroactive application, thus constituting the five Justices required for a majority. Justices White and O’Connor, the sixth and *83seventh votes, joined the court in its holding but would not apply the precedent retroactively.