The state of Texas was ordered to grant death row inmate Duane Buck a retrial on Wednesday, February 22. thanks to a ruling handed down by the Supreme Court, which recognized Buck as a victim of discrimination by the justice system.
"Our holding on prejudice makes clear that Buck may have been sentenced to death in part because of his race," Justice John Roberts wrote in a statement on the court's decision. "As an initial matter, this is a disturbing departure from a basic premise of our criminal justice system: Our law punishes people for what they do, not who they are," wrote Roberts. Above all else, Roberts cited Buck having suffered "ineffective assistance of counsel" and thus ought to be entitled to relief for a retrial.
"When a jury hears expert testimony that expressly makes a defendant's race directly pertinent on the question of life or death, the impact of that evidence cannot be measured simply by how much air time it received," said Roberts. The court's position ensures that Buck's case once more goes through due process in the lower courts.
"What occurred at the penalty phase of this trial is indefensible," Justice Samuel Alito, said, joining in on criticism of the trial and testimonies, which he called "bizarre." Alito's comment was in reference to the defense (and not the prosecution, ironically) bringing in psychologist Walter Quijano, who argued that Buck being black "increased the probability" that he might continue to commit violent crimes.
Buck has been locked up on charges stemming from his alleged role in the murder of his ex-girlfriend in front of her children. Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller argued that the case ought to be refocused on the actual crimes of the alleged killer, who he also alleged to have shot his step-sister. Keller was reportedly shut down as the Justices reverted to the presence of a race-based testimony as grounds for a retrial.
Source: cnn.com
