Legal Document

345 U.S. 559 73 Supreme Court Reporter 891 97 L.Ed. 1244 AVERYv.STATE OF GEORGIA. Number 648. Argued April 30, 1953. Decided May 25, Opinion Conformed to July 14, See 76 South Eastern Reporter, 2nd Series 620. Mr. Frank M. Gleason, Rossville, Ga., for petitioner. or Haw. Hawai‘i Reports KFH45 A2 Blackshear, Jr., Atlanta, respondent. Chief Justice VINSON delivered the opinion of Court. 1 Petitioner was tried rape in Superior Fulton County, Georgia. He convicted and sentenced death. The Georgia affirmed after overruling petitioner's contention that jury which him had been selected by a means repugnant Equal Protection Clause Fourteenth Amendment.1 We granted certiorari review this claim. 903, 651. 2 indictment, upon petitioner tried, returned grand Walker A change venue cause removed County. By proper pleadings petitioner, Negro, challenged array petit jurors try his case; he charged discrimination practiced against members race. Testimony then taken, thereafter trial court overruled challenge. 3 salient facts, developed hearing, are undisputed. Under law task organizing panels criminal cases falls county Board Jury Commissioners. In discharging responsibility Commissioners, at stated intervals, select prospective from tax returns. Their list is printed; names white persons on printed tickets; Negroes yellow tickets. These tickets—white yellow—are placed box. judge draws number tickets handed sheriff who turn entrusts them clerk. It clerk's duty 'arrange' type up, final form, be called serve panel. 4 Approximately sixty were make up panel particular case drawn. picked out tickets—bearing composing panel—testified did not, nor ever, any way, discharge duty. There no contradictory evidence. Yet fact remains there not single Negro State concedes available service we told generally do juries courts county. question must decide, based our independent analysis record,2 whether has made sufficient showing organization think has. 5 other officials responsible selection panel, under constitutional follow procedure—'a course conduct'—which would 'operate discriminate racial grounds.' Hill versus Texas, 1942, 316 400, 404, 62 1159, 1161, 86 1559. If they failed duty, conviction reversed—no matter how strong evidence guilt. That established decisions spanning more than seventy years interpretation meaning 'equal protection.'3 6 Petitioner's charge springs Commissioners' use Obviously practice makes it easier those mind discriminate. Further, authorization statutes—which simply enjoin Commissioners 'upright intelligent men as * *.'4 important note Georgia, case, specifically disapproved separately colored saying constituted 'prima facie discrimination'. (70 722.) 7 agree. Even if drawn box without discrimination, opportunity resort stages process. And, view before us, where sixty—though many available—we certainly prima discrimination. 8 below affirmed, however, because prove some act officer jury; now argues burden fill 'factual vacuum.' cannot 'vacuum' one state fill, moving with dispel have held before,5 Court, itself, recently followed these decisions,6 when presented, falls, forthwith, overcome it. meet test. 9 Reversed. 10 BLACK concurs result. 11 JACKSON took part consideration decision case. 12 REED, concurring. 13 & N Dec. Immigration Nationality Decisions concur reversal. My concurrence undisputed facts presented record. follows. population County 691,797. comprise 25% 165,814. receiver's digest 105,035 citizens 17,736 Negroes—14%. year 20,509 1,115 Negroes—5%. From number, 150 200, each divisions court. Evidently week term's service. venire Avery numbered 60. All white. 14 establish record does rebut. 15 FRANKFURTER, 16 drawings here containing slips differentiated according lines, veniremen colored. indiscriminately judge. testimony recent member designed purposes shown could purpose. So far concerned, may accept drew honesty purpose; refute opportunities discriminate, experience tells us will inevitably such differentiating used. obvious, partly aperture sufficiently wide open color subsequent abuse however fairly However be, working discriminatory system exists whenever mechanism component part, here, differentiates between colored; countenanced result reached. stark resulting phenomenon somehow other, despite over 5% yellow, got onto 60 Avery's selected. justice, merely its eyes, blind attribute an occurrence mere fortuity. 17 Accordingly, judgment. State, 1952, 209 Ga. 116, 70 716. Norris Alabama, 1935, 294 587, 55 579, 79 1074. E.g., Neal Delaware, 1881, 103 370, 26 567; Rogers 1904, 192 226, 24 257, 48 417; supra; Pierre Louisiana, 1939, 306 354, 59 536, 83 757; Cassell 1950, 339 282, 629, 94 839. Ga.Code Ann. § 59—106. Crumb 1949, 205 547, 54 639. supra, U.S., pages 594 595, 598, 582, 583; 405—406, 1162, 1559; Patton Mississippi, 1947, 332 463, 68 184, 92 76. supra.

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