A North Carolina judge ruled Friday that a Black defendant’s capital trial was undermined by allegations of racial bias during jury selection, potentially opening the door to death row inmates throughout the state getting resentenced.

The Racial Justice Act allowed people to challenge their death sentences if they could demonstrate race played a role in their trials.

Judge ruled prosecutors unlawfully dismissed Black jurors in Hasson Bacote's death penalty case and used racist language like "thug" and "predators of the African plain."