United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Norris v. Alabama, 294 U.S. 587 (1935)

Norris v. Alabama

No. 534

Argued February 15, 18, 1935

Decided April 1, 1935

294 U.S. 587

Syllabus

1. Exclusion of all negroes from a grand jury by which a negro is indicted, or from the petit jury by which he is tried for the offense, resulting from systematic and arbitrary exclusion of negroes from the jury lists solely because of their race or color, is a denial of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed to him by the Fourteenth Amendment. P. 294 U. S. 589.

2. Whenever a conclusion of law of a state court as to a federal right is so intermingled with findings of fact that the latter control the former, it is incumbent upon this Court to analyze the facts in order that the enforcement of the federal right may be assured. P. 294 U. S. 590.

3. Evidence reviewed and found to establish systematic exclusion of negroes from jury service in two Alabama counties, solely because of their race and color. Pp. 294 U. S. 590, 294 U. S. 596.

229 Ala. 226; 156 So. 556, reversed.

CERTIORARI, 293 U.S. 552, to review a judgment affirming a conviction of rape.

Page 294 U. S. 588