A Hamilton County man is requesting a judge void an indictment against him due to the alleged persistent and systematic exclusion of minority citizens in the jury selection process.
Attorney Ryan Wheeler filed the motion Thursday on behalf of his client, Wendell Glass, 50, who is accused of possession of cocaine with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell.
The motion alleges white citizens are more likely to be summoned and serve on juries, which violates the constitutional rights of all Hamilton County criminal defendants, including Glass, who is Black.
In Hamilton County, the circuit court clerk selects the jury pool from a list of potential jurors in a database comprised of driver’s license data, the motion said.
The Tennessee Department of Safety sends a master list each month containing the names of all county residents who are over the age 18, possess a driver’s license or state identification card and have a registered address within the county.