Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!romp!auschs!awdprime!testsys.austin.ibm.com!mbrown From: mbrown@testsys.austin.ibm.com (Mark Brown) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Fate of the FOIA Message-ID: <8167@awdprime.UUCP> Date: 4 Jun 91 17:50:24 GMT References: <3970@d75.UUCP> Sender: news@awdprime.UUCP Distribution: na Organization: IBM AWD, Austin Lines: 24 bei@d75.UUCP (Bob Izenberg) writes: |rogue@cellar.UUCP (Rache McGregor) writes: |>Part of the prosecution's argument before the Supreme Court was |>that they would have had no objection to Hispanic jurors if they spoke only |>English. This was believed by the Court as proof that no ethnic |>discrimination was intended, but that the exclusions were based on the |>jurors' ability to speak and interpret Spanish. | |What is the central issue here: Fluency in the Spanish language, or |fluency in Hispanic culture? There's a Far Side cartoon which shows I think this question was answered yesterday, by the Supremes. They ruled that jurors cannot be selected/rejected on the basis of race. This leads me to believe the general principle the earlier ruling was that rejection can be based upon "special knowledge", such as language fluency. -- DISCLAIMER: Any personal opinions stated here are just that. Mark Brown IBM PSP Austin, TX. | Don't you feel more like (512) 823-3741 VNET: MBROWN@AUSVMQ | you do now MAIL: mbrown@testsys.austin.ibm.com | than you did when you started?