Conviction upheld of black man who alleged racial bias

ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) - An Indiana appeals court has upheld the armed robbery conviction of a black man who alleged racial bias during jury selection in his trial.

The state Court of Appeals found last week that a Madison County trial judge acted appropriately by excusing the only remaining prospective black juror in Steven Wade Childress' trial last year.

Childress was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison, with eight years suspended.

The Herald Bulletin reports prosecutors sought the juror's dismissal after he said during questioning that he would have to have no doubt about someone's guilt to convict them of a crime.

He also said he would define reasonable doubt as "no doubt."

Childress's attorney argued that prosecutors presented no response from the man reflecting that he couldn't be a fair juror.

___

Information from: The Herald Bulletin, http://www.theheraldbulletin.com