Smith v. Texas

In. Harris County, Texas, where petitioner, a negro, was indicted; and convicted of rape, negroes,, constitute over 20% of the population, and almost 10% of the poll-tax payers; a minimum of from three to six thousand of them measure up to the qualifications prescribed by Texas statutes for grand jury service. The court clerk, called as a state witness and testifying from court records., covering; the years 1931 through 1938, showed that onjyj)' of thg_38& grand jurors who served during that period were negroes; that of 512 persons summoned for grand jury duty, only 18 were negroes; that of…