Fair Trial – Jury Selection

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7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: United States of America v. Thomas Alt

Case No.: 21-2724

Officials: Rovner, St. Eve, and Kirsch, Circuit Judges.

Focus: Fair Trial – Jury Selection

Alt planned to meet with a fifteen-year-old boy whom he met on Grindr to smoke marijuana and engage in sexual activity. The boy was actually an undercover FBI Agent. Alt was arrested later that day when he attempted to meet up with the boy. After a three-day jury trial, Alt was convicted of attempted enticement of a minor and sentenced to the mandatory minimum 120 months in prison, followed by fifteen years of supervised release. He appealed challenging the district court’s denial of his motion to suppress, claiming the government committed a Batson violation, and arguing he was deprived of a fair trial because of the government’s statements during closing arguments. Alt also challenges the requirement that he participate in a sex offender treatment program as a condition of his supervised release.

The Seventh Circuit ruled that the government did not commit a Batson violation in rejecting a Black juror who stated he had family that had suffered sexual abuse. Alt was not deprived of a fair trial because of the government’s statements about the standard of proof during closing arguments. The court also upheld a supervised release requirement that Alt participate in a sex offender treatment program.

Affirmed

Decided 01/25/23

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