Jury Selection
In communities across America, racial minorities are significantly underrepresented on criminal trial juries as a result of jury selection procedures that are racially biased and discriminatory. Although federal law prohibits excluding minorities from jury service, the law is difficult to enforce and leaves much to be done to confront this problem.
Diverse and representative juries that include racial minorities are critical to ensure fair criminal trials. The absence of diverse juries in criminal cases has serious consequences for the poor and people of color who must frequently overcome presumptions of guilt in communities where African Americans, Latinos, and other racial minorities are disfavored, stereotyped, and often demonized. Young black men are especially vulnerable to negative stereotypes that undermine their right to a fair trial.
EJI has challenged racial bias in jury selection through individual cases and class-action lawsuits. In Alabama, two dozen death penalty cases have been reversed after illegal racial discrimination in jury service was proved.