People v. Johnson

Defendant, LeCurtis Johnson, a/k/a Lee Curtis Johnson, appeals from the trial court’s determination on remand for a Batson hearing that defendant had failed to establish a prima facie case of race discrimination by the State in its use of peremptory challenges against black venirepersons. On appeal, defendant contends that: (1) he had sustained his burden of demonstrating a prima facie case of discrimination by the State, and (2) the trial court had prejudged defendant’s claim of racial discrimination, thereby denying him his due process right to an impartial fact finder. For the following…