All articles tagged with #racial bias
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled in favor of Terry Pitchford, a Black Mississippi inmate on death row, finding that his conviction likely stemmed from racial bias in jury selection when prosecutors struck four Black jurors. The ruling revives a lower-court finding that Pitchford’s attorney was blocked from pursuing a Batson challenge, potentially paving the way for retrial or resentencing.
Alabama has asked the Supreme Court to permit using a congressional map that would advantage Republicans even after a lower court ruled the map was racially biased, signaling a push to move forward with redistricting amid HB1/SB1 debates. The decision could affect Alabama’s 2nd District and overall congressional representation, as candidates like Shomari Figures compete for the seat amid ongoing protests and partisan maneuvering.
Absent last-minute intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas death-row inmate James Broadnax is scheduled to be executed Thursday for the 2009 murder of two music producers in Garland, a sentence his lawyers say relies on co-defendant Demarius Cummings’ confession that Broadnax did not pull the trigger; the case has featured arguments about due process, race in jury selection, and ongoing appeals.
Sportswriter Etan Thomas argues that Dan Hurley’s on-court moment reveals a racial double standard: white coaches are given more leeway for heated conduct, while Black coaches would face harsher scrutiny. The piece links Hurley’s incident to broader patterns of privilege in sports and society, citing examples like Benjy Taylor and Rick Pitino to argue that Black coaches face stricter consequences and less forgiveness.
A policy change provides waiting-list credit to Black kidney transplant candidates to offset harms from race-based testing, aiming to reduce disparities and improve access to kidney transplants.
A CDC vaccine advisory committee meeting was marred by racially charged language and anti-immigrant rhetoric, leading to controversial changes in hepatitis B vaccination recommendations that could jeopardize public health efforts to prevent the disease in children, especially among immigrant populations.
A federal judge ended over a decade of federal oversight of the Seattle Police Department, citing significant improvements in officer accountability, use-of-force policies, and community relations since the implementation of reforms following allegations of excessive force and racial bias.
Juror No. 6 was dismissed from Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex-trafficking trial due to perceived dishonesty and inconsistent answers, with the judge explicitly rejecting claims of racial bias by the defense. The trial continues with a new juror, and proceedings are unlikely to conclude by the initial July 4 deadline.
Broadway star Patti LuPone faced backlash after making disparaging comments about fellow performers Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis in a recent interview, with critics accusing her of crossing lines and exhibiting racial bias, sparking discussions about industry behavior and respect.
Daniel Penny, a white Marine veteran, was acquitted of charges related to the killing of Jordan Neely, an unhoused Black man, on a New York subway, sparking discussions on racial bias in the US legal system. Penny claimed self-defense, but critics argue his acquittal highlights a double standard in how white vigilantes are treated compared to people of color. The case has raised concerns about increased violence against vulnerable populations and the portrayal of vigilantes as heroes.
A jury has awarded $98 million to the family of Botham Jean, a Dallas man fatally shot in his home by former police officer Amber Guyger, who was found to have used excessive force. The verdict includes $60 million in punitive damages and $38 million in compensatory damages. The case highlighted issues of racial bias and police accountability, with the jury condemning Guyger's actions as malicious and reckless. Guyger, who was convicted of murder in 2018, did not attend the civil trial or have legal representation.
Researchers found that the introduction of iPhones for NYPD officers led to an 18% increase in reported stops, primarily involving non-white citizens, suggesting that previous data may have underreported such interactions. This highlights potential racial biases in policing and the need for more transparency and further investigation into police practices.
The HBO Max documentary "MoviePass, MovieCrash" explores the rise and fall of MoviePass, a subscription service that offered daily movie tickets for $9.95 a month. Initially popular, the company quickly amassed debt and faced operational issues, leading to its collapse in 2019. The film highlights the contrasting visions of its founders, Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt, and the new management, who prioritized quick profits over sustainability. The story underscores issues of reckless growth, private equity greed, and racial bias in the startup world.
Video footage released by a police oversight agency shows plainclothes Chicago police officers firing nearly 100 shots over 41 seconds during a traffic stop, resulting in the death of a 26-year-old Black man, Dexter Reed, and injuring one officer. The family questions the police account and demands a swift investigation, while the mayor vows transparency and a full investigation. The incident has raised concerns about racial bias and excessive use of force within the police department, which has been under a consent decree since 2019.
Economists conducted an experiment by sending out 80,000 fake résumés to 100 major U.S. companies, revealing that some firms discriminated against Black applicants more than others. On average, employers contacted presumed white applicants 9.5% more often than presumed Black applicants, with some companies showing significant disparities. AutoNation and Genuine Parts Company were found to favor white applicants over Black applicants by 43% and 33% more callbacks, respectively. The study highlights the varying levels of racial bias in hiring practices across different companies and industries.