Court Opinion

ID: 9499373
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 17:46:57.381615+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:59:28.233800
License: Public Domain

BRIGHT,
concurring in the result.
I concur in the result.
I agree with the district court that defendant’s objection to the striking of African-American veniremen by the prosecution made out a prima facie case of discrimination against African-Americans in selecting the jury.
Moreover, in my examination of the record, I view the explanations provided by the prosecutor for striking the jurors in question as weak.
The district judge noted regarding jurors 25 and 26, “I think these are very, very, very inadequate reasons for striking. ...” The trial judge, who is an able, experienced, and fair-minded jurist, accepted the prosecutor’s views, although with some misgivings. It is proper, I agree, to defer to the trial judge’s exercise of discretion to permit the strikes here in question to stand. I add, however, my view that a contrary determination by the district judge would have been free of error.
Appellate judges must rely on trial judges to be vigilant doorkeepers in seeing that prosecutors do not slam the door on African-Americans called to serve on a jury by using pretext to mask race discrimination. The litany of approved strikes recited in this and other cases should not stand where the reason or reasons given are pretextual.