Ristaino v. Ross

Ross (defendant), who is Black, was charged with violent crimes against a white security guard. At voir dire, he asked the trial court to question potential jurors about possible racial prejudice; the court declined, and that ruling was affirmed on appeal. A federal court of appeals later granted habeas relief, relying on an earlier Supreme Court decision (Ham) holding that due process required a judge to probe jurors' racial prejudice under certain circumstances.