Supreme Court Tosses Black Man’s Murder Conviction Over Racial Bias

The Supreme Court on Friday threw out the murder conviction and death sentence for a black man in Mississippi.

Curtis Flowers, who's murder case has gone to trial six times. Mississippi Department of Corrections via AP

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court on Friday, June 21, threw out the murder conviction and death sentence for a black man in Mississippi because of a prosecutor’s efforts to keep African Americans off the jury. The defendant already has been tried six times and now could face the seventh trial.

The removal of black prospective jurors violated the rights of inmate Curtis Flowers, the court said in a 7-2 decision.