USA - North Carolina. Three More Death Sentences Reduced Because of Bias in Jury Selection

Three More Death Sentences Reduced in North Carolina Because of Bias in Jury Selection. Cumberland County Judge Greg Weeks reduced the sentences of three death row inmates to life without parole after finding that race played a significant role in the selection of the juries in their cases. Applying North Carolina's revised Racial Justice Act, Judge Weeks relied partially on studies showing prosecutors struck qualified African-American jurors twice as often as other potential jurors, both in Cumberland County and statewide. He also relied on evidence presented earlier at a lengthy hearing showing that potential black jurors were often dismissed for reasons such as their reservations about the death penalty, criminal background, hardships, or employment, while white jurors with similar characteristics were selected. Evidence of racial bias was also shown in statements, notes, training materials, and testimony from the prosecutors. Evidence of trainings sponsored by the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys showed prosecutors were trained in fabricating legally acceptable ways to exclude African Americans from juries. Judge Weeks, who had reduced the death sentence of another inmate earlier in the year, stated: "The court finds no joy in these conclusions. Indeed, the court cannot overstate the gravity and somber nature of its findings. Nor can the court overstate the harm to African-American citizens and to the integrity of the justice system that results from racially discriminatory jury selection practices." Judge Weeks issued his rulings for Tilmon Golphin, Christina Walters and Quintel Augustine. All 3 were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union. Walters, a Lumbee Indian, was convicted of killing two white women and shooting a black woman as part of an initiation into the Crips gang in August 1998. Augustine, who is black, was convicted of killing Roy Turner Jr., a black police officer, in November 2001. Golphin, a black man, was convicted of killing 2 white law enforcement officers - Ed Lowry and David Hathcock, at a 1997 traffic stop. Attorneys for the defendants argued during a 9-day hearing in October that prosecutors had systematically tried to prevent blacks from serving on the juries for the trials.