Vasquez v. Hillery

474 U.S. 254, 106 S.Ct. 617, 88 L.Ed.2d 598 (1986)

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Vasquez v. Hillery

United States Supreme Court
474 U.S. 254, 106 S.Ct. 617, 88 L.Ed.2d 598 (1986)

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Facts

Hillery (defendant) was an African-American indicted on murder charges by a grand jury. Hillery asserted that African-Americans had been intentionally excluded from the grand jury and moved to quash the indictment. The trial court denied his motion and Hillery was subsequently convicted. Hillary spent 16 years appealing his conviction in the state courts. When Hillery exhausted his state court appeals, he petitioned the federal district court for a writ of habeas corpus. The district court granted the writ. Vasquez (plaintiff), the warden of San Quentin Prison, petitioned the Supreme Court for review of the district court’s decision.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Marshall, J.)

Dissent (Powell, J.)

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