People v. Malone

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of three counts of armed robbery and sentenced to three concurrent terms of 25 years’ imprisonment. On appeal, he contends that this case should be remanded because the trial court failed to determine whether the State’s explanations for its use of peremptory challenges excluding certain black venire persons were race-neutral so as to rebut defendant’s prima facie case of purposeful discrimination. Defendant also contends that several prejudicial instances of prosecutorial misconduct during rebuttal closing argument denied him a fair trial.

The…