Earlier this year, we shared the story of Bryan Christopher Bell and Antwaun Kyral Sims — two men whose right to a fair trial was undermined when a North Carolina prosecutor admitted to removing a woman from the jury simply because she had children and expressed a preference for male jurors.
Now, The Assembly NC has published a powerful deep dive into the case, titled “It’s Illegal to Use Gender in Jury Selection. That Hasn’t Stopped It From Happening.” The article highlights how gender discrimination in jury selection — banned by the U.S. Supreme Court since 1994 — continues to occur in North Carolina courtrooms, often without consequence.
Emancipate NC has been at the forefront of challenging this injustice. Our legal team filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case and address the persistent bias that undermines fairness in our state’s courts.
“When a prosecutor feels comfortable admitting to striking a juror because of her gender, it shows how deeply normalized discrimination remains,” said Ian Mance, Senior Counsel at Emancipate NC. “The courts must act to enforce the constitutional protections that already exist.”
This case is part of our broader work to expose and challenge discriminatory jury selection practices — both gender- and race-based — that distort the justice process and deny defendants the fair trials they are guaranteed under law.
We’re grateful that The Assembly NC has brought new attention to this issue and to the communities most impacted by systemic bias in the courts. Emancipate NC will continue fighting to ensure that every North Carolinian — regardless of race, gender, or background — is treated with dignity and fairness in the legal system.