Burkette v. H.R. III, L.L.C.

OPINION

MYRON H. THOMPSON, District Judge.

The question presented is whether, when a court has had to excuse a black juror from a selected jury for personal reasons, the court should then excuse a white juror so as to maintain the racial balance of the jury. The answer is simple: no.

In this employment discrimination case, plaintiff Linda Burkette, an American woman of African descent, alleges that defendant H.R. Ill, d/b/a Hardee’s, discharged her as manager at one of its restaurants because of her race, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C.A. §§ 1981a,…