Jury Ruled Invalid In Hamilton County Case After Attorney Used Challenges To Eliminate Women From Panel

  • Tuesday, February 22, 2022

A jury was being selected in Hamilton County Criminal Court on Monday in a rape case, but the panel was invalidated after the prosecution said the defense was intentionally trying to keep women off the panel.

Judge Barry Steelman agreed and directed that jury selection start over on Tuesday. The new panel was chosen by early afternoon. 

Attorney Charles Wright said he felt men would be more sympathetic to his client.

However, prosecutor Andrew Coyle brought a "Batson challenge."

In the U.S. Supreme Court case of Batson vs. Kentucky, it was ruled that jurors could not be excluded based on race, ethnicity, or gender.

 

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