Keon Thomas Facing Death Penalty says Jury is Racially Biased.

• One Black, One Latino on jury.

One of two men facing federal death penalty murder charges is apparently denouncing the recently completed jury selection process as racially unfair. A woman who identified herself as the mother of Keon Thomas, 29, of Hammond, sent The Times a six-page handwritten letter this week in which Thomas explains why he boycotted jury selection one afternoon last week. He said he believes the proceeding was biased against him and fellow defendant Styles D. Taylor, 24, of Hammond. "I being tried in front of a jury that s made up of 10 whites whose ages range from the middle late 30s into the middle and late 60s who were born and raised in the suburbs, and rural farm and country areas," the letter continued. Lawyers for the prosecution and defense completed jury selection Tuesday, and testimony is scheduled to begin Aug. 23. Taylor and Thomas are pleading not guilty to charges they fatally shot Frank Freund, 73, during a March 20, 2000, robbery. [more ]