In its role as lead pro bono counsel to LatinoJustice Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, a Stroock team has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in a case challenging Arizona's refusal to advise juries about the unavailability of parole in death penalty cases – a refusal that appears to fly in the face of an earlier Supreme Court ruling. Essentially, the brief argues that juries should be aware that defendants in capital cases will be ineligible for parole should they be sentenced to life in prison. Failing to provide that information may predispose jurors to choose executions over life sentences as they may fear that defendants would at some stage be eligible for parole.
"When jurors are misinformed about the availability of parole, they may rely on this fear, along with other subjective biases, when making their decision," the Stroock team, led by senior counsel Bruce H. Schneider, wrote in its brief.
The Stroock team includes Christine E. Ellice, Emily L. Kuznick, John F. Iaffaldano and Paul Lisbon.
Click here to read the full brief.
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