State v. Harris

¶ 68. (concurring). This case squarely presents the question of how to identify and address the appearance of racial and gender stereotyping in the context of criminal sentencing. On the first page of its brief to this court, the State queried: "[The court of appeals concluded] that some of a sentencing judge's comments could be perceived as suggesting that the sentencing judge imposed the sentence at least in part because of race. Is that a basis for vacating the sentence?"

*714¶ 69. Since we accepted this case for review, this court has been faced with questions related to the appearance of bias…