19SC763- People v. Ray Ojeda

Summary

The court affirmed the court of appeals’ judgment, holding that the prosecution failed at step two of the three-step peremptory-strike analysis because its explanation expressly relied in part on the prospective juror’s Hispanic identity and shared identity with the defendant. The trial court also erred by supplying its own race-neutral reasons rather than evaluating the prosecutor’s stated reasons. The court resolved the case without reaching the step-three question of purposeful discrimination.