State v. Filitaula

¶1 Allowing litigants to exercise peremptory challenges in writing does not implicate the public trial right when a public record is kept showing which jurors were challenged and by which party.

Becker, J.

¶2 On July 23, 2011, Joshue Tamblin exchanged argumentative text messages with his former girlfriend, demanding the return of property. Her current boyfriend, Jeremy Gains, intervened in the text message exchange. Tamblin challenged Gains to a fight. Gains went to Tamblin’s home with appellant Mason Filitaula and two other individuals. As soon as they arrived, Tamblin began hurling insults at…