Smith v. State

Pope, Presiding Judge.

Defendant Willie Smith was convicted of aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, carrying a pistol without a license, and discharging a firearm near a public highway. During jury selection, defendant, an African-American, used 12 peremptory strikes to strike white potential jurors. The trial court properly concluded a prima facie case of discrimination had been established, and required defendant to articulate his reasons for the strikes. After defendant had done so, however, the court reseated six of the…