The U.S. Supreme Court Should Prevent the Execution of a Man Sentenced, in Part, Because He Is Black

Keith Tharpe sits on Georgia’s death row, at least in part, because he is black. One of the jurors in Tharpe’s case signed a stunning affidavit in which he asserted that there are two types of Black people—“good black folks” and “ni**ers.” The juror, Bernard Gattie, claimed Tharpe fell into the second category, which influenced Gattie in voting for a death sentence. Underscoring his utter lack of respect for Tharpe’s humanity, Gattie stated: “After studying the Bible, I have wondered if Black people even have souls.”