The Mississippi Supreme Court considered at least 18 Batson claims between 2015 and 2025 and did not rule in favor of protecting a struck Black juror in any of those cases, according to an analysis of court records by Mississippi Today.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Batson v. Kentucky in 1986 that prosecutors may not use peremptory strikes to remove potential jurors on the basis of race. Peremptory strikes remain allowed in most states, including Mississippi, Mississippi Today reported.
Mississippi Today’s investigation examined reasons prosecutors gave for striking Black jurors in more than 50 appealed cases from 2015 to 2025. The report said prosecutors cited factors ranging from education level and job history to prior experiences with law enforcement, views on the death penalty, having a family member in prison or a prosecutor’s “bad vibe.”
In the same period, Mississippi Today found the state Supreme Court affirmed protections for struck white jurors in at least four cases. The findings are based on the news organization’s review of appellate filings and court opinions, Mississippi Today said.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
