Abukar v. Commonwealth

OPINION

THOMPSON, JUDGE:

The sole issue presented to this Court is whether the Kenton Circuit Court properly rejected Mohamud Abukar’s challenge pursuant to Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). We conclude that the trial court properly denied Abukar’s race-based and religion-based challenge to the prosecutor’s peremptory strike of a juror.

Mohamud Abukar, a United States citizen and native of Somalia, was arrested and tried by a jury for the rape of an intoxicated female while she was passed out in a taxi operated by Abukar. After voir dire, the Commonwealth…