October Term 2007 · Docket 06-10119
Did prosecutors use race to remove jurors?
Louisiana prosecutors removed five Black jurors. The defense claims this violated federal law.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Stephen Bright argued the lower court made errors. He said the state ignored prior Supreme Court lessons.
The state argued the defense failed to object. They said the defense missed the chance to challenge the removals.
Justice Alito asked if the defense claimed three strikes were racial. He sought clarification on the specific number of jurors.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 27-9 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 27-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 11-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-5
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests if prosecutors removed jurors based on race. The defense argues this broke federal rules. The state argues the removals were legal.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 27-9 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 27-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 11-31
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 4, 2007.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
What each side wants
The defense wants the Court to find a legal violation. They want a new trial without these jurors.
The state wants the Court to keep the lower court's view. They want the conviction to stand.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 27-9 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 27-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 11-31
What each side says
The defense argues the state broke federal rules. They say the removals ignored prior Supreme Court guidance.
The state argues the defense failed to object. They say the defense missed the chance to challenge the removals.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 27-9 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 27-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 11-31
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked if counsel could have challenged the removals later. She questioned why they did not act sooner.
Chief Justice Roberts asked why the defense did not object earlier. He noted the burden to object falls on the defense.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-5
Why it matters
This case defines how prosecutors must remove jurors. It protects the right to a fair jury. It ensures race does not influence jury selection.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 27-9 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 27-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 11-31
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-5
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 27-9 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 27-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 11-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 27-9 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 27-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 11-31
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.