In 2019, Evangelisto Ramos was sentenced to life in prison for the alleged murder of a woman in New Orleans. However, his case exposed a deeply flawed legal system: while Ramos was convicted, his case would have resulted in a mistrial in 48 other states due to the divided nature of his jury. Ramos’s conviction highlights the troubling legacy of Louisiana’s non-unanimous jury system, also known as Jim Crow juries.
The Legacy of Jim Crow Juries
Louisiana’s non-unanimous jury system dates back to the post-slavery era. After the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, except as punishment for crimes, Louisiana needed a way to continue exploiting Black labor. In 1889, Louisiana implemented non-unanimous juries to ensure that Black jurors could not prevent convictions and to maintain a system of convict leasing—a practice that effectively continued slavery under another guise.
Oregon adopted a similar law in 1933, following a high-profile case where a Jewish immigrant was acquitted due to a single juror’s not guilty vote. These laws ensured that racial and ethnic minorities had little power in the legal system and could be more easily convicted.
Ramos’s Case and Legal Fight
Evangelisto Ramos found himself convicted under this outdated system. His jury was divided 10-2, a verdict that would have resulted in a mistrial in any of the 48 other states requiring unanimous jury verdicts. Ramos appealed his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, which, while acknowledging the need for unanimous verdicts, did not make its ruling retroactive. This meant that those already convicted by non-unanimous juries, like Ramos, were not automatically entitled to a new trial.
Fortunately for Ramos, his case was still pending when the Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that the Sixth Amendment requires unanimous jury verdicts. This allowed him to secure a retrial. In May 2023, Ramos was found not guilty in his second trial, finally securing his freedom after being wrongfully imprisoned.
Ongoing Injustice
Although Ramos is now free, hundreds of Black individuals remain imprisoned in Louisiana due to convictions by non-unanimous juries. The state has so far refused to take measures to address this historical injustice. Louisiana continues to use former slave plantations for prisons, where thousands of Black men serve long sentences under harsh conditions, perpetuating a cycle of racial injustice.
The case of Evangelisto Ramos serves as a stark reminder of the enduring impact of Jim Crow laws and the need for comprehensive legal reform. While progress has been made, the fight for justice and equality continues, with many still suffering from a system that has failed them for generations.
