Supreme Court Signals Support for Mississippi Death Row Inmate Raising Racial Bias Concerns

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday signaled it may side with Terry Pitchford, a Black man on Mississippi’s death row, who alleges racial bias influenced the jury selection in his capital murder trial more than two decades ago in Grenada County, Mississippi.

During oral arguments, several justices questioned whether Pitchford’s defense attorneys and the trial judge adequately addressed potential racial discrimination during jury selection. Pitchford’s jury had only one Black juror, while then-prosecutor Doug Evans—whose history with dismissing Black jurors has drawn scrutiny—struck four others. Justice Brett Kavanaugh cited the trial transcript, noting that Pitchford’s lawyer appeared to raise timely objections, while Justice Samuel Alito criticized both the judge and defense counsel, stating neither fulfilled their responsibilities when the jury was impaneled.

Pitchford was convicted and sentenced to death for his involvement in the 2004 murder of grocery store owner Reuben Britt, killed during a robbery. Though Pitchford’s co-defendant fired the fatal shots, he was ineligible for the death penalty due to his age.

The Supreme Court’s scrutiny follows its 2019 decision overturning Curtis Flowers’ conviction in a similar Mississippi case, finding a “relentless, determined effort to rid the jury of Black individuals,” according to Kavanaugh. Mississippi’s solicitor general argued Pitchford’s case was markedly different from that precedent.

Pitchford’s conviction has cycled through various courts since 2004. In 2023, a federal judge overturned his conviction, citing insufficient opportunity for his lawyers to contest the prosecution’s motives for striking Black jurors, but a panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later reinstated the conviction.

The high court is expected to rule on the case in the coming months. The outcome could determine whether Pitchford’s conviction stands or if further proceedings in lower courts are required.