State v. Headen

GEER, Judge.

Defendant Tyus Sentell Headen appeals from his conviction of voluntary manslaughter. Defendant, who is African-American, contends that the trial court erred in overruling his objection, pursuant to Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 90 L. Ed. 2d 69, 106 S. Ct. 1712 (1986), to the State’s peremptory challenge of a prospective juror who is also African-American. Defendant argues that he met his burden of making a prima facie showing of racial discrimination and that the State’s explanation for the challenge was a pretext for a race-based strike.

Under the applicable standard of review,…