AUSTIN, Texas — Fair and Just Prosecution is urging the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to stop the scheduled execution of Cedric Allen Ricks, arguing that newly disclosed prosecution notes show unconstitutional racial discrimination during jury selection in his capital trial.
In an amicus brief filed in Ex Parte Cedric Allen Ricks, the organization said prosecutors’ notes reveal that Black prospective jurors were struck because of their race. The group argues that the alleged conduct violates the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Batson v. Kentucky, which prohibits excluding jurors through peremptory strikes based on race.
Fair and Just Prosecution said Ricks is scheduled for execution on March 11, 2026. The organization contends that the newly disclosed notes provide rare, direct insight into prosecutorial decision-making during voir dire and show race-conscious exclusion rather than relying solely on statistical disparities or circumstantial evidence.
In its brief, the organization wrote that “Mr. Ricks sits on death row after trial prosecutors used peremptory strikes against two Black prospective jurors under circumstances that strongly suggested racial discrimination.”
The group said the alleged discrimination raises serious concerns about the integrity of the judicial process. It argued that such practices not only deprive a defendant of the constitutional right to a fair trial but also exclude Black citizens from the civic duty of jury service.
Fair and Just Prosecution also said discriminatory jury selection harms the broader community by undermining public confidence in the justice system and violating the principle of equal treatment under the law.
Aramis Ayala, executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, said racial bias in jury selection has consequences that extend beyond a single case.
The organization said discriminatory jury selection compromises a defendant’s Fourteenth Amendment right to a fair trial while also denying excluded jurors equal protection under the law. In capital cases, the group said, such violations are especially serious because the consequences are irreversible.
In the brief, Fair and Just Prosecution argued that prosecutors have an obligation to act as ministers of justice and that courts must address constitutional violations when credible evidence shows racial bias affected jury selection.
The organization warned that allowing the execution to proceed despite the newly disclosed evidence would deepen public skepticism about the courts and suggest that Batson’s safeguards are not being meaningfully enforced.
Fair and Just Prosecution said this is the third amicus brief it has filed in the past year challenging discriminatory jury practices.
The group previously submitted briefs in Pitchford v. Cain and Bell & Sims v. State of North Carolina, which it said highlight what it describes as persistent unconstitutional jury selection practices across multiple jurisdictions.
The organization said its filings reflect an ongoing effort to advocate for fair prosecution practices and to ensure that constitutional protections are upheld in the criminal legal system.
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