Opinion ID: 1834950
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: whether the trial court erred in disqualifying illiterates and in allowing venire persons over the age of 65 to claim their statutory exemption?

Text: We are asked to declare Miss. Code Ann., § 13-5-1 (1972), unconstitutional because disqualifying a person unable to read and write from jury service constitutes intentional discrimination against illiterates. We are also told that there is no sufficient reason for excluding those over the age of 65 and therefore, we should hold Miss. Code Ann., § 13-5-25 (1972), unconstitutional. At the trial the judge discharged one venire person who could not read or write, and five persons over the age of 65 claimed the statutory exemption and declined to serve on the jury.