Morris v. Commonwealth

STEINFELD, Chief Justice.

On February 11, 1971, appellant Leroy Morris, a black, was convicted of manslaughter for killing Eddie Wilson and was sentenced to imprisonment for 21 years. He was represented in the trial court proceedings by court-appointed counsel. No timely appeal was lodged, but in an action brought pursuant to RCr 11.42 he was granted a belated appeal.

Morris contends there was systematic exclusion or reduction of black citizens from the jury panel in the circuit court where he was convicted and that this practice violated his rights under the Fourteenth Amendment of the…