State v. Bender

ROSEMARY LEDET, Judge.

| T This is a criminal appeal. The defendant, David Bender, appeals his conviction and sentence for simple burglary of a vehicle, a violation of La. R.S. 14:62. Finding merit to Mr. Bender’s argument that the district court erred in accepting the State’s use of a juror’s prior convictions as a race-neutral reason for a peremptory strike during a Batson challenge, we reverse his conviction and remand for a new trial.1

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On June 16, 2011, Mr. Bender was charged by bill of information with one count of simple burglary of a vehicle. On June 20, 2011, Mr.…