Opinion ID: 1092410
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: selection of juries

Text: Since both cases may be retried on the present indictment, appellants' proposition that there was systematic exclusion of Negroes from the grand jury should be disposed of at this point. Evidence on this issue was presented and considered at the hearing on the motions to vacate. Appellants were indicted for grand larceny in April 1967. The State concedes that up to 1966 there had been systematic and discriminatory exclusion of Negroes from jury service in Amite County. However, the record reflects that beginning in 1966 and particularly in 1967 the method of jury selection was changed so as to eliminate any discriminatory jury-selection procedures and that in 1967 Amite County was administering a nondiscriminatory jury-selection system. The master jury list of April 1967 was drawn from the voter registration and land assessment rolls. The population of Amite County is approximately fifty percent white and fifty percent black. However, only about one-half as many Negroes as whites are registered to vote in Amite County. The percentage of Negroes on the 1966 jury list was 28.3%, and was 32% on the 1967 list from which the grand jury in this case was drawn. This indicates that a higher percentage of Negro qualified electors was selected for jury service both in 1966 and 1967 than white electors. The Board of Supervisors of Amite County, in selecting names to be placed on the jury list, took every fourth name. The disparity as to total population is wholly insufficient to make a prima facie case of systematic exclusion or inclusion. In short, beginning in 1966 the method of jury selection in Amite County was entirely changed from the prior system and a new method of nondiscriminatory selection was adopted. We find no constitutional infirmity in it. See Rouse v. State, 222 So.2d 145 (Miss. 1969); Williams v. State, 220 So.2d 325 (Miss. 1969); Morris v. State, 206 So.2d 832 (Miss. 1968); McLelland v. State, 204 So.2d 158 (Miss. 1967).