News from the U.S. Supreme Court
Posted: January 09, 2003
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Other Resources on Supreme Court Decisions
United States Supreme Court, Official Site Cornell Law School's Supreme Court Collection Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism "On the Docket" Database of Supreme Court Decisions (1953-Present) (Harold J. Spaeth) Transcripts of the Oral Arguments before the Court Wikipedia List of Important Supreme Court Cases in Capital Punishment |





In Kansas v. Marsh (2006), the Supreme Court held in a vote of 5 to 4 that a Kansas statute requiring that a death sentence be imposed when a jury finds that the aggravating and mitigating circumstances in a case have equal weight was constitutional. Justice Souter, disagreeing with the Court's decision, authored the dissenting opinion.
In Miller-El v. Dretke (2005), the Supreme Court held (6-3) that a Texas death row inmate tried in Dallas County was entitled to a new trial due to strong evidence of racial bias during the jury selection process in the original trial. In selecting a jury, prosecutors struck 10 of 11 qualified black panelists, conducted disparate questioning of white and black jurors, and utilized a jury selection manual that emphasized race.