Three jurors expressed opposition to interracial marriage on their jury questionnaires.
The Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to take up the case of a Black man on death row for killing his estranged wife, who was white, and two children, including their interracial child,The vote was 6-3, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor and liberal colleagues Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting from the court's order.Andre Lee Thomas was convicted to death by an all-white jury, including three jurors who expressed opposition to interracial marriage on their jury questionnaires.
Thomas, suffering from severe schizophrenia, murdered his wife, Laura Christine Boren, and the children before attempting to take his own life in 2004. Days later, in his jail cell, Thomas gouged out his right eye. "Thomas' case undermines principles this Court has repeatedly and forcefully protected: the right to an impartial jury, and the recognition that overt racial bias in the criminal justice system must be eradicated," Sherrilyn Ifill, a lawyer for Thomas, argued in court papers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urged the court not to step in, noting in court papers that Thomas' counsel had "questioned one of the jurors at issue about racial bias extensively in voir dire" and that "the trial court ensured that the other two could render an impartial verdict in view of the evidence, and the record shows other reasons why defense counsel might have wanted these jurors to serve on the jury.
Texas also claimed that Thomas' trial counsel was "experienced" and made "strategic decisions" concerning the extent they questioned the jurors at issue about their views on interracial marriage. The state says the defense used its preemptory strikes on jurors who "in their view" would have been much worse than those seated.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Taysom Hill's three touchdowns help Saints snap losing streakThe New Orleans Saints snapped a three-game skid with a seven-point victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The Saints maintained pace in the race for the NFC South.
Read more »
SNAPSHOT Wall Street opens higher after three-day selloffWall Street's main indexes opened higher on Monday, as investors picked up beaten-down stocks following a three-day selloff last week.
Read more »
2023 Kia Niro First Drive Review: One little SUV, three electrified flavors | AutoblogThe Kia Niro EV, PHEV and hybrid each offer a compelling blend of features, space and efficiency, but pricing could be a serious issue.
Read more »
Three teenagers shot in separate incidents in D.C., police sayAll of the victims were conscious and breathing, said Officer Hugh Carew, a police spokesman.
Read more »
Three US-based economists given Nobel Prize for work on banksThis year's Nobel Prize in economic sciences has been awarded to the former chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Ben S. Bernanke, and two U.S.-based economists, Douglas W. Diamond and Philip H. Dybvig, 'for research on banks and financial crises.'
Read more »