Batson lets attorneys give any race-neutral reason for striking jurors

Evidence

The Batson standard developed a two-step process for attorneys to make claims of discriminatory peremptory challenges. First, an attorney must make a prima facie case for discrimination and establish some basis to believe that the opposing attorney challenged a potential juror because of his or her race. If the judge agrees that the challenge could be race-based, the opposing attorney may offer a race-neutral explanation for why the juror was struck. The judge may either accept or reject this explanation. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 884