Williams v. Superior Court CA2/5

INTRODUCTION

The Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles, respondent court, erred in denying the motion of defendant, an African American accused of murder, for appointment of an expert demographer to investigate and opine regarding his contention there was a significant disparity between eligible African American jurors in the South Judicial District compared to those summoned to the Long Beach Courthouse. The California Supreme Court ordered that we issue an alternative writ, which we did. The trial court did not comply with the alternative writ and failed to issue the appropriate order. Accordingly, we issue peremptory writ directing the respondent court to vacate its order denying the motion and to enter a new order granting it.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Petitioner Bernard Williams, an indigent, after a trial in which he was acquitted on one count and a mistrial declared on the remaining two counts, moved for an order from respondent court to appoint and pay demographer Ashley Thomas as an expert to assist petitioner in demonstrating his contention that the current method of summoning jurors to Long Beach Courthouse deprives him of a jury derived from a cross section of the…