Supreme Court Overturns Murder Conviction

A black man from Louisiana who spent 12 years on death row is entitled to a new trial, the United States Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday after deciding that racial bias played a role in jury selection.

Allen Snyder was convicted of murdering Harold Wilson, the companion of his estranged wife. Snyder had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but an all-white jury convicted him after a three and a half day trial.

Racial Bias

“Racial prejudice infected the selection of the jury,” said defense attorney Stephen Bright.

The case was focused on the power of prosecutors to use peremptory strikes to remove jurors. The jury pool for Snyder’s pool included five African Americans, all of whom were struck by the prosecution.

“The evidence is too powerful. It all points in one direction and that’s intentional race discrimination,” Bright said.

(Source: CNN)

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