[blindlaw] Request for Amicus Briefs re: Blind Juror

[Scott C. LaBarre]

Kristy and all, the NFB is drafting an amicus in this case and will be happy to have other organizations sign onto it once ready.  We hope to circulate a draft in August.  It's hard to believe that we still run into these issues about 30 years after passage of the ADA.  

Best,
Scott 

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Avino, Kristy via BlindLaw
Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2019 2:29 PM
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Avino, Kristy <kavino at McCarter.com>
Subject: [blindlaw] Request for Amicus Briefs re: Blind Juror

Hello all,

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has requested amicus briefs for a pending criminal appeal, which challenges the competency and qualifications of a blind juror where the evidence included 2 photographs and other documentary evidence.

Please let me know if you can recommend any direct points of contact at the NFB and any other organization that may be interested in filing a brief.  I am a Massachusetts lawyer and will offer my assistance and that of my law firm if needed.

 It is my understanding that two organizations (whose names are not known to me) have expressed interest but have not yet committed to filing a brief.

I’ll include the call for briefs below.  Thank you for any assistance you can provide!

Best,
Kristy Avino
McCarter & English LLP
265 Franklin Street
Boston, MA 02110
617-449-6577

The call for briefs is as follows:

SJC-12724

Commonwealth v. Lawrence Heywood

Whether the judge erred in determining that a blind juror was competent and qualified to be seated on a case involving a charge of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury, where the evidence included two photographs and other documentary evidence; whether appropriate accommodations were made to permit a blind juror to be seated as a juror; whether the evidence was sufficient to warrant a finding of serious bodily injury.

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