People v. Flowers

Defendant, Robert Flowers, was charged by indictment with two counts of armed robbery. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 38, par. 18 — 2.) The indictment alleged that at approximately 10:45 p.m. on September 18, 1982, defendant robbed two women at knifepoint on the 1400 block of North Astor Street in Chicago. Defendant is a black man and both victims were white.

Defendant’s trial took place in the courthouse for the second district of the circuit court of Cook County, located in Skokie. Prior to jury selection, defense counsel made an oral motion to dismiss the venire based on an allegedly improper…