Opinion ID: 446559
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Exclusion of Hispanics

Text: 12 Enriquez maintains that the make-up of the grand jury and petit jury involved in his indictment and conviction was unconstitutional. He contends that in 1966 Hispanics were systematically excluded from participation in grand and petit juries. In order to secure federal habeas relief on this ground Enriquez must: (1) establish that the group against whom discrimination is asserted is a recognizable, distinct class, singled out for different treatment; (2) prove that the group has been underrepresented over a significant period of time; and (3) support the presumption thus created by showing that the selection procedure is susceptible of abuse or is not racially neutral. Castaneda v. Partida, 430 U.S. 482, 97 S.Ct. 1272, 51 L.Ed.2d 498 (1977); Guice v. Fortenberry, 661 F.2d 496 (5th Cir.1981) (en banc). Enriquez's mere allegation of discriminatory jury selection is insufficient to require a hearing. If ... the petitioner has been accorded a fair and complete opportunity to adduce evidence in state court, neither the petitioner nor the state should be put to the wasteful exercise of repetition in federal court. Guice v. Fortenberry, 661 F.2d at 500. 13 In the present case, the state court record provides an adequate basis for resolving this claim without a hearing. Enriquez was accorded an adequate opportunity to present his evidence in the state court. We find the evidence presented insufficient to establish a prima facie case for discrimination in the grand and petit jury selection. On the first day of his trial, Enriquez filed a challenge to the array and a motion to dismiss the jury venire. During a hearing on the motion, the Karnes County District Clerk was instructed by the court to prepare a list of persons summoned on jury venires with Mexican-American surnames. These lists reflect that from 1963 to 1966, 72 of 732 petit jurors, 12 of 112 grand jurors, and 6 of 34 jury commissioners had Mexican-American surnames. At the hearing, Enriquez offered statistics as to the percentage of Mexican-American surnames among persons living in Karnes County. Because the exhibit was not properly authenticated, it was not admitted into evidence. No further evidence was offered on this issue. On direct appeal, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals noted that Enriquez had failed to adduce evidence as to the percentage of Hispanics in Karnes County and concluded that he had failed to show a history of discrimination. Enriquez v. State, 429 S.W.2d 141. At the state habeas hearing, the court concluded that Enriquez failed to present evidence sufficient to establish the systematic exclusion of Mexican-Americans from the grand or petit juries. Enriquez has had a fair and complete opportunity to show, and has failed to show, the Hispanic population in Karnes County in 1966; the total population in Karnes County in 1966; and the number of Hispanic citizens and other citizens eligible to serve as jurors in Karnes County in 1966. Consequently, he has failed to establish the second element required by Castaneda: underrepresentation of Hispanics on jury panels over a significant period of time. This contention is therefore without merit. 14 The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.