Supreme Court rules for Black death row inmate from Mississippi over racial bias in makeup of jury
Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of Terry Pitchford, a Black man on death row in Mississippi, who said racial bias affected his jury selection. The court found issues with how Black jurors were dismissed in his trial, continuing concerns tied to a similar case involving prosecutor Doug Evans.Key Facts
- The Supreme Court decision involved Terry Pitchford, sentenced to death for a 2006 murder in Mississippi.
- Pitchford claimed racial bias because Black jurors were unfairly excluded from his trial jury.
- Prosecutor Doug Evans, who led the case, had a history of dismissing Black jurors in other cases.
- The 1986 Batson v. Kentucky ruling bans dismissing jurors based on race and guides how to review such claims.
- A similar case involving Curtis Flowers, also prosecuted by Evans, had its conviction overturned in 2019 for racial jury discrimination.
- Pitchford’s conviction has been contested in courts for 20 years, including a 2023 ruling that found insufficient chance to challenge racial jury dismissals.
- The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously reversed that 2023 ruling before the Supreme Court's recent decision.
- Pitchford was 18 at the time of the crime; his co-defendant, under 18, was not eligible for the death penalty.
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