California Orders Review of Death Penalty Cases for Jury Discrimination

Alameda County to reexamine decades of cases after evidence of racial and religious bias in jury selection surfaces.

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced a review of all death penalty cases following the discovery of discriminatory practices against Black and Jewish jurors.
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria ordered the review, citing 'strong evidence' of systemic misconduct in jury selection.
The review could affect 35 death penalty cases dating back to 1977, with potential implications for hundreds of convictions.
Evidence includes handwritten notes by prosecutors from the 1990s, explicitly marking jurors by race and religion.
The scandal has sparked calls for a broader investigation into prosecutorial misconduct in Alameda County.