Question

Who were the plaintiff in Snyder v. Louisiana 128 S. Ct. 1203 (2008) case? Who were the defendants? What are the facts of the case? Procedural history? Issues (Question)? Holding (Answer)? Judgement? Reasoning? Concurrent and/or Dissenting opinion?

Answer 1

Snyder v. Louisiana 128 S. Ct. 1203 (2008) case:

Plaintiff: Allen Snyder was Petitioner in this case; he was earlier convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death in a Louisiana court.

Defendants: The State of Louisiana

Facts of the case:

• In the case at trial court, Allen Snyder was found guilty of first-degree murder and was assigned death penalty (August 1996)
• out of 36 potential jurors, five were African American
• However, all five were rejected by prosecution by utilizing their peremptory strikes.
• U.S Supreme Court determined that trial court made an error and violated supreme courts earlier ruling in Batson v. Kentucky case.

Procedural history:

• The Petitioner appealed his conviction on basis of Batson v. Kentucky case.

• The Louisiana Supreme Court, rejected petitioners claim but remanded petitioner to competent to stand trial.
• The petitioner than made a petition in U.S Supreme Court

Issue:

The Supreme Court questioned that does this act of trial court where rejecting of African American jurors was conducted is subject to a violation of the Equal Protection Clause?

Holding:

• Trial judge acted inappropriately.
• The U.S Supreme Court determined that trial court made an error and violated supreme courts earlier ruling in Batson v. Kentucky case.
• Trial court must have applied higher standard of defence in their process.

Reasoning:

If a trial court i.e. legal system will indulge in act of racial discrimination, it will be difficult to overcome this gap.

Dissenting opinion:

Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Scalia wrote that that the decisions of trial court were fact based.