Matthews v. State

HERRMANN, Justice:

This is an appeal from a judgment of conviction for possession of a Molotov cocktail in violation of 11 Del.C. § 360. 1 The determinative question is whether there was reversible error in the Trial Court’s refusal to put the following questions to the prospective jurors, prior to trial, on voir dire examination:

1) Do you have any antagonism against black persons ?

2) Would you be able to accept the word of a black young man over that of a white young man?

The defendant is a young black man and the principal prosecuting witness is a young white man. The Trial Court permitted no…