Louisiana Senate Committee Advances Bill Offering Relief for "Jim Crow Jury" Convictions
BATON ROUGE, La. – A bipartisan legislative effort is underway in Louisiana that could open a path for new trials for individuals imprisoned due to convictions secured by non-unanimous jury verdicts, a practice with roots in the Jim Crow era.
On Tuesday, a Louisiana State Senate committee voted 5-1 to advance Senate Bill 218, sponsored by Sen. Royce Duplessis. The proposed legislation seeks to add nonunanimous jury verdicts to the established grounds for post-conviction relief, potentially allowing those affected to seek a new trial.
The bill's advancement follows years of advocacy by organizations like the Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI), which has worked closely with families and individuals impacted by these convictions. Their efforts included the landmark Ramos v. Louisiana case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2019, the high court ruled that non-unanimous jury verdicts violate the Sixth Amendment's guarantee of a unanimous jury in serious criminal cases.
Despite the Supreme Court's decision, the Louisiana Supreme Court previously declined to retroactively apply the Ramos ruling to past convictions, leaving an estimated 1,500 individuals without legal recourse.
Hardell Ward, director of Community Impact at PJI and a former lead attorney on the nonunanimous jury project, hailed the committee's vote as a step toward rectifying a historical injustice. "This Senate committee accepted their responsibility to right this wrong and move our state toward long-awaited justice for those convicted by Jim Crow juries," Ward stated.
Samantha Kennedy, PJI executive director, emphasized the broader implications of the legislation. "Louisiana lawmakers now have an opportunity to finally address this history and to recognize the right of every Louisianan to a fair process in the criminal legal system," she said.
With the Senate committee's approval, SB218 will now proceed to the full Senate for further consideration. The outcome of this vote will determine whether Louisiana joins the majority of states in offering a mechanism for those convicted by non-unanimous juries to seek a new day in court.
