Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Supreme Court this week overturned the 1986 conviction of a black Texas death-row inmate because of racial bias in the selection of his jury. Prosecutors had disqualified 10 of the 11 African-Americans in the jury pool, which the justices said threw into question the “very integrity” of the process. The Supreme Court ordered a new trial for the inmate, Thomas Miller-El, marking the fourth time in two years that the justices had intervened in Texas death penalty cases. David Dow of the Texas Innocence Network said it appeared that a “critical mass” of justices had “lost confidence” in the way the state metes out capital punishment. Texas executes more people than any other state.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meatThe Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human bloodUnder the radar Drugging the bugs
