New Jersey’s highest court finds ‘implicit or unconscious’ bias at play in jury selection

New Jersey’s highest court has tossed out a 2017 first-degree murder conviction after finding that the state may have relied on “implicit or unconscious” bias when it sought to remove a prospective Black juror.

News 12 Staff

Jul 14, 2021, 11:08 AM

Updated 1,302 days ago

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New Jersey’s highest court has tossed out a 2017 first-degree murder conviction after finding that the state may have relied on “implicit or unconscious” bias when it sought to remove a prospective Black juror.
The decision Tuesday called for a new trial and a state conference on how juries are selected in New Jersey, a process based on law dating to the late 1800s.
In 2017, Edwin Andujar was convicted of first-degree murder after authorities accused him of stabbing his roommate 12 times with a knife.
During jury selection for Andujar’s trial, the state challenged a prospective juror, but the court rejected the challenge.
Prosecutors then checked the prospective juror's background and found a warrant and had him arrested. The court said bias may have played a role.
AP wire services helped contribute to this report.