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MOTION EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY
By supporting the efforts underway by various county and state officials to address the issue of racial bias and imbalance in the jury system and provide solutions that will equalize representation in the jury system.
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WHEREAS, a recent study found that only 4% of potential criminal jurors in Allegheny County are African-American, while African-Americans make up 11% of the county's adult population and that adults living in African-American neighborhoods are half as likely to be summoned for criminal jury duty than those living in neighborhoods where 98 percent of the population is white; and
WHEREAS, the right to a fair trial by a jury of one's peers is fundamental to the country's justice system and racial imbalance casts a reasonable doubt on that promise; and
WHEREAS, the US Supreme Court has ruled that the right of citizens to serve on juries derives from their freedom of speech and that jury pools must represent a "fair cross-section" of the community; and
WHEREAS, Judicial manipulation of the jury room has been necessary to guarantee that African-American defendants get a chance to have African-American peers on their juries; and
WHEREAS, District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr. is actively seeking and supports remedies that will protect the Constitutional rights of the citizens of Allegheny County and, in protecting those rights, has asked the County's Jury Commission to develop a business plan to fix the problem of too few African-Americans in the pool of potential jurors; and
WHEREAS, District Attorney Zappala and Recorder of Deeds Valerie McDonald-Roberts have formed a committee that has met with pastors of African-American churches to ask them to encourage their congregations to sign up for jury duty; and
WHEREAS, Senator Jane Clare Orie will be introducing a resolution to authorize a study looking into criminal jury pools across the state to find out whether minorities are underrepresented in the pools and to recommend a remedy if they are; and
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, AND IT IS THE SENSE OF THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY,
That this Council hereby does support the efforts of District Attorney Zappala, Recorder of Deeds McDonald-Roberts, Senator Orie and other county and state officials that are addressing the racial imbalance of juries and who are working proactively towards increasing the representation of African-Americans on juries.