☢ test - Í

Stevens v. State, 245 Ga.App. 237, 537 S.E.2d 688 (July 19, 2000). Cocaine trafficking convictions affirmed; State’s jury strikes were race-neutral. “The prosecutor stated that he struck the … juror because she was a teacher and might have come into contact with the defendants' children at the school where she taught.” Foster v. State, 272 Ga. 69, 525 S.E.2d 78 (January 18, 2000). No reversible error in jury trial on defendant’s mental retardation defense to capital murder charge; challenged strike of juror by State was race neutral: “Foster contends that the striking of prospective juror Shropshire on the basis of his extensive medical knowledge was improper because the State failed to strike a similarly-situated white juror who was a medical nurse. However, the prosecutor also noted that juror Shropshire's wife was a psychologist who worked in the field of mental retardation, the juror had worked with her in the past regarding her patients, and additionally that the juror had a relative who was mentally retarded. The transcript thus reflects that Foster, as the opponent of the strike, failed to carry his burden of persuasion by showing that the strike was pretextual. Compare Jones v. State, 270 Ga. 25(2), 505 S.E.2d 749 (1998).” Accord, Daker v. State, 243 Ga.App. 848, 533 S.E.2d 393 (April 11, 2000). O’Hannon v. State, 240 Ga.App. 706, 524 S.E.2d 759 (November 5, 1999). Strike of juror who “had extensive courses in psychology and psychiatry and worked at Howard University Hospital and that some of her work as a physician assistant deals with issues of psychology and the State would believe that she may have a tendency to try to interpret or psychoanalyze the defendant as to this case,” was race-neutral. Scott v. State, 240 Ga.App. 50, 522 S.E.2d 535 (September 14, 1999). State strikes were race-neutral: “Juror 11 was struck because he was a postal worker , and postal workers had been instrumental in creating hung juries during at least three other trials in which the prosecutor participated. See Johnson v. State, 266 Ga. 775, 776-777, 470 S.E.2d 637 (1996). Juror 25 was struck because she lived in what is apparently the worst drug crime area in Columbus . The trial court noted that a juror from that area may well be ‘scared to go home having convicted somebody of a drug offense.’ See Smith v. State, 264 Ga. 449, 454, 448 S.E.2d 179 (1994); Sorrells v. State, 218 Ga.App. 413, 414, 461 S.E.2d 904 (1995).” Collins v. State, 239 Ga.App. 11, 520 S.E.2d 542 (July 8, 1999). State’s exercise of peremptory strike against only black prospective juror properly allowed, since state’s explanation that it struck juror because he was a practicing attorney was race-neutral. Hinson v. State, 237 Ga.App. 366, 515 S.E.2d 203 (March 30, 1999). Trial court properly re-seated juror, finding that counsel’s stated reason for strike was pretextual. Counsel stated strike was because juror was a housewife. “[The trial court ruled that since juror no. 15] has worked for 13 years [outside the home] she has [not] been a homemaker her entire life.... and put her back on the jury. Given counsel’s factual inaccuracy (as opposed to lack of knowledge) regarding this juror’s life experiences underlying defendant’s stated racially neutral reason, the trial court was authorized to conclude that stated reason was pretextual.” Smith v. State, 236 Ga.App. 122, 511 S.E.2d 233 (January 27, 1999). “A race-neutral explanation need not be persuasive, plausible or even make sense,” citing Jackson v. State, 265 Ga. 897, 899, 463 S.E.2d 699 (1995), “but must simply be ‘based on something other than the race of the juror. Unless a discriminatory intent is inherent in the proponent’s explanation, the reason offered will be deemed race neutral.’ (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Id .” “An interest in a bonding company or relationship to the owner of a bonding company is race-neutral. Jackson, supra. It follows that a familial relationship with one willing to post bond on behalf of the defendant is also race-neutral.” Accord, Jackson v. State , 330 Ga.App. 108, 766 S.E.2d 558 (November 21, 2014) (in child molestation case where evidence would show no injury to victim, State’s strike of husband of OB/GYN doctor was race-neutral). 18. STRIKES BASED ON PERSONAL OR FAMILY CRIMINAL HISTORY OR PRESENT CRIMINAL ISSUES Devaughn v. State, 296 Ga. 475, 769 S.E.2d 70 (February 2, 2015). Malice murder and related convictions affirmed; no error in excusing juror whose “brother … had recently died in prison, and [who] said that her brother had been represented by an incompetent attorney when he was convicted for murder.” Richardson v. State, 328 Ga.App. 519, 759 S.E.2d 630 (June 26, 2014). Child molestation and related convictions affirmed; State’s strike was race-neutral where defendant was a defense witness in another, unrelated, criminal matter. Holloman v. State, 319 Ga.App. 716, 738 S.E.2d 306 (February 8, 2013). Conviction for selling cocaine affirmed; trial