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Batson v. Kentucky

United States Supreme Court

476 U.S. 79 (1986)

Facts

James Batson (defendant), an African American, was indicted for burglary and receipt of stolen goods. During voir dire, the prosecutor used his peremptory challenges to strike all the African Americans on the venire. As a result, the jury was made up entirely of white jurors. Batson moved to discharge the jury before it was sworn, claiming that the removal of all the African Americans violated his rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The trial judge denied the request, and Batson was convicted on both counts. The Kentucky Supreme Court affirmed Batson's conviction, and the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

Rule of Law

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Issue

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Holding and Reasoning (Powell, J.)

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Concurrence (Marshall, J.)

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Concurrence (White, J.)

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Dissent (Burger, C.J.)

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Dissent (Rehnquist, J.)

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