Our Constitution guarantees us the right to "an impartial jury," or a jury of your peers. But what exactly does that mean?
In Louisville, Kentucky, where I'm spending Thanksgiving with family, one brave judge wants to guarantee that everybody gets a fair trial. And for that, he might lose his job.
Kentucky jury pools are selected randomly. Since 2009, Judge Olu Stevens has presided over 147 jury cases, and thrown out two pools because they were all white. Louisville is 22% black, and studies have shown that jury demographics heavily affect verdict outcomes.
The first time, the defendant was found guilty, and everyone was happy. But in the second case, the jury - still majority white, but not exclusively white - came back with a "not guilty" verdict. The prosecutor, who should show more trust in the Black citizens of Louisville, wants Judge Stevens removed from criminal trials. The Kentucky Supreme Court is now considering his request.
Pastor and civil rights journalist Shaun King summed up the problem well: "For white defendants, ["jury of your peers"] means a jury that is either exclusively white or close to it. For African-Americans, it means something altogether different. Are we really pretending that race and culture have zero implications with how people see the world?"
Tell Chief Justice John Minton: We want a society with justice for all, and we believe that is what Judge Stevens has provided! Protect citizens' right to an impartial jury, and rule for Judge Stevens!
Dear Chief Justice Minton,
We all want a society that provides justice for all. Many of us believe that that is exactly what Judge Stevens provides when he takes demographics and the realities of lived experiences into account with his jury pools. As you consider his status, please protect citizens' right to impartial juries, and rule in Judge Stevens' favor.
Thank you, Your Honor.