Racial Bias Exposed: Court Overturns Conviction Based on Judge's Prejudice

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the drug conviction of a Black man, Leron Liggins, after a Detroit federal judge, Stephen Murphy III, made racially biased remarks, stating that Liggins "looks like a criminal." The appeals court deemed the judge's comments incompatible with the fair administration of justice and ordered a new trial with a different judge. The court stated that allowing the conviction to stand would undermine public confidence in the judicial process. The judge apologized for his remarks nearly two years later, attributing his outburst to frustration. Prosecutors argued that the remark referred to Liggins' alleged conduct, but the appeals court disagreed, stating that a reasonable observer could interpret it differently.