Charles Richardson v. Richard B. Gramley, Warden of Dixon Correctional Center

POSNER, Circuit Judge.

A state prisoner named Richardson appeals from the denial of his application for habeas corpus, arguing that the prosecutor used a peremptory challenge to strike a juror by reason of the juror’s race in violation of the constitutional principle declared in Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). Richardson can use Batson to attack his conviction only if the conviction was not yet “final” when Batson was decided. Allen v. Hardy, 478 U.S. 255, 106 S.Ct. 2878, 92 L.Ed.2d 199 (1986). A criminal judgment is final for this purpose when the…