The U.S. Supreme Court in 2020 ruled that non-unanimous juries are unconstitutional. Yet in Louisiana, people convicted by split juries prior to 2019 remain incarcerated without a form of relief.
I was 22 when I was convicted in March 2000 of armed robbery by a non-unanimous jury in New Orleans. The crime never happened. Yet I was sentenced to 99 years without the possibility of parole, and I would go on to serveMy accuser was a young man who lied about some missing money that he had spent on drugs and told his father that he was robbed at gunpoint. His father called the police. When police eventually showed the young man a photographic lineup, he picked my face. That’s all it took.
I was sent to Angola Prison, a former plantation turned into the largest prison in Louisiana. I had to leave my mother, my two daughters and seven siblings behind. I knew the moment I stepped foot at Angola that the journey ahead of me would be hard and painful. I kept fighting my case, but every appeal, every petition was denied.
The non-unanimous conviction that sent me to prison was only possible in two states — Oregon and Louisiana. Louisiana in 1898 held a constitutional convention that was convened for the explicit purpose of “establishing the supremacy of the white race.” During that convention, Louisiana lawmakers established non-unanimous juries, so that they could make sure that Black people on a jury were silenced.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
What Do Democratic Calls for Sen. Menendez to Resign Signify?See multiple perspectives from National Review (Opinion), CNN (Opinion), and Reuters at AllSides.com.
Lire la suite »
OPINION: Justice Samuel Alito Is Just Begging for Regulations on the Supreme CourtOn April 25, all nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court signed a Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices, which they submitted to the Senate ...
Lire la suite »
What Caused the Turmoil at Ibram Kendi's Antiracism Center?See multiple perspectives from National Review (Opinion), The Messenger, and New York Times (Opinion) at AllSides.com.
Lire la suite »
Alabama’s AG reacts to Supreme Court’s redistricting map decisionThe delay would’ve prevented a new map from being used before the 2024 election cycle.
Lire la suite »
Plaintiff not surprised by Supreme Court denial of state's plea in congressional redistricting caseThe Supreme Court denied the State of Alabama's request for a stay in Allen v. Milligan, allowing a panel of three federal court judge to move forward...
Lire la suite »
New Jersey Supreme Court to rule on pandemic-related insurance exclusionsNew Jersey’s Supreme Court is expected to consider whether an Atlantic City casino can get payouts from business interruption insurance for losses during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Lire la suite »