Des Moines, IA- The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a Lee County man who claimed his jury pool was not impartial because it contained no African-Americans.
Radio Iowa reports that Kenneth Lilly, an African-American, was found guilty of aiding and abetting a bank robbery. He appealed saying the driver’s license and voting lists underrepresented African-Americans in the jury pool, leading to an all white jury.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruling says Lilly asserts that low-income people register to vote and acquire driver’s licenses and I-D cards at lower rates than others in the community — but he offered no evidence or expert witnesses to establish this fact.
It says speculation about the possible causes of underrepresentation will not substitute for a credible showing of evidence supporting those allegations.
