Critics blasted Carnes for defending Alabama prosecutors accused of systematically excluding blacks from death penalty trial juries. Carnes' supporters responded that as a prosecutor, Carnes had engaged in a campaign to eliminate racial discrimination in jury selection even before the Supreme Court had become involved in the issue.
Critics criticized Carnes for supporting Alabama prosecutors who were accused of systematically excluding black individuals from death penalty trial juries. Carnes' allies defended him by stating that he had already been engaged in efforts to reduce racial discrimination in jury selection prior to when the Supreme Court took up this issue.