Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/389/24/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 10:25:47+00:00

Document:
"we cannot assume that the jury commissioners did not eliminate prospective jurors on the basis of their competency to serve, rather than because of racial discrimination."
Held: The State's burden to explain the "disparity between the percentage of Negroes on the tax digest and those on the venires" was not met by reliance on the stated presumptions.
Certiorari granted; 223 Ga. 157, 154 S.E.2d 228, reversed and remanded.
"public officers are presumed to have discharged their sworn official duties. . . . Under the testimony in this case we cannot assume that the jury commissioners did not eliminate prospective jurors on the basis of their competency to serve, rather than because of racial discrimination."
223 Ga. 157, 162, 154 S.E.2d 228, 232.
We hold that the burden upon the State to explain "the disparity between the percentage of Negroes on the tax digest and those on the venires," Whitus, supra, at 385 U. S. 552, was not met by the Georgia Supreme Court's reliance on the stated presumptions. See Arnold v. North Carolina, 376 U. S. 773; Eubanks v. Louisiana, 356 U. S. 584; Williams v. Georgia, 349 U. S. 375; Avery v. Georgia, 345 U. S. 559; Cassell v. Texas, 339 U. S. 282; Norris v. Alabama, 294 U. S. 587. We therefore reverse the judgment of the Georgia Supreme Court and remand for further proceedings not inconsistent with our opinion.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.