Blind juror's disqualification sparks civil rights challenge to New York courts

A blind New York woman, Emeline Lakrout, was barred from jury service, prompting a lawsuit that civil-rights groups say reveals systemic accessibility failures in the state court system.

Emeline Lakrout, a blind Paralympic champion who worked at Unilever, answered a jury summons in October 2023 and cleared every pre-screening step, but was excluded when lawyers questioned her ability to assess visual evidence. Her counsel, Jessie Weber of Brown Goldstein and Levy, filed a suit in October 2024 alleging the court failed to provide required accommodations, a claim dismissed by a federal judge and now appealed to the Second Circuit.

The New York ACLU, National Disability Rights Network and other disability advocates submitted friend-of-the-court briefs, asserting that the dismissal violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and reflects systemic shortcomings in the state’s jury system. The lawsuit also points to a lack of clear information on available assistive tools, as a public-records request yielded no documentation. Similar discrimination allegations have been raised in a separate case involving Albert Elia, who was barred from a grand jury that relied on visual evidence. Advocates stress that excluding blind citizens undermines the principle of a jury representing the community.