Adrian Ellis v. the State of Florida

Summary

The court held that the trial court clearly erred in evaluating the State’s peremptory strikes of two African-American prospective jurors because it expressly refused to consider whether the State’s race-neutral explanations were genuine. Considering one comparison factor without evaluating genuineness and all surrounding circumstances did not satisfy the required analysis, and the objections were preserved. The conviction and sentence were reversed, and the case was remanded for a new trial.