Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Vasquez v. Hillery case brief

Vasquez v. Hillery case brief summary
474 U.S. 254 (1986)

CASE SYNOPSIS
Petitioner appealed a judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which affirmed the lower court's decision that racial discrimination existed in the selection of the grand jury that indicted respondent and that respondent's petition for a writ of habeas corpus should be granted.

CASE FACTS
Respondent, a African-American individual, was indicted by a grand jury composed of white jurors. He was tried and convicted of first-degree murder. Respondent pursued his state appeals and collateral relief, raising his equal protection challenge to the grand jury selection. After the state high court foreclosed his final avenue of state relief, respondent filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in federal court.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY
The lower court requested an expanded record and found that respondent had been denied equal protection because the grand jury that indicted him was composed entirely of white jurors, despite the fact that there were qualified African-Americans available, and it granted the writ.

DISCUSSION
On appeal, the appellate court affirmed. On further appeal, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court, holding that respondent had established discrimination in the grand jury selection, and that required granting the writ of habeas corpus.

CONCLUSION
The United States Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court's judgment affirming the lower court's decision that found that racial discrimination occurred in the selection of the grand jury which indicted respondent and which granted the writ of habeas corpus.


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