After slavery was abolished, Jim Crow laws were passed in the South to enforce white supremacy. The Sixth Amendment states that jury convictions must be unanimous, but one Jim Crow law allowed 10 out of 12 jurors to make a conviction, even in life-sentence cases. Since no more than 1 or 2 black people were usually on a jury, this law ensured black jurors’ votes would be discounted.

The lawmakers explicitly stated their goal was to ensure black jurors’ votes wouldn’t matter.

Split juries (10-2 or 11-1) are known as “Jim Crow juries.” The U.S. Supreme Court finally deemed this Jim Crow law unconstitutional in 2020, in the landmark case Ramos v. Louisiana. However, the ruling did not offer any relief to the 750+ Louisianans who now remain illegally incarcerated with unconstitutional convictions.

It’s up to the State of Louisiana to create a viable remedy for everyone who remains incarcerated by an illegal, unconstitutional Jim Crow jury verdict. The Louisiana District Attorneys Association insists that it’s too expensive for them to have fair trials — prioritizing the state’s profit margins over the United States Constitution.

“Our greatest resources are our supporters. The majority of our family and friends come from poverty-stricken environments and have experienced all sorts of injustices, discrimination and abuse of authority. We need allies around the world to demand Louisiana legislators end Jim Crow once and for all.”

- The 10-2 Committee