State v. Smith

Appellant appeals his convictions for assault with intent to commit first degree criminal sexual conduct and robbery arguing that the trial judge erred in failing to quash the jury panel under Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U. S.-, 106 S. Ct. 1712, 90 L. Ed. (2d) 69 (1986). We affirm.

The Court granted appellant’s petition to argue against the precedence of State v. Hawkins, 289 S. C. 482, 347 S. E. (2d) 98 (1986), to the extent it held that Batson will be applied prospectively only. State v. Hawkins was effectively overruled on this point by Griffith v. Kentucky,-U. S. _, 107 S. Ct. 708, 93 L. Ed.…