Geraldine S. Hines, 70, has worked as a defence lawyer for 46 years, helped establish New England’s first law firm run exclusively by women of colour, and served on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

But on Wednesday, prosecutors intervened to prevent Ms Hines from being selected as a juror in the murder trial of two men.

Ms Hines, identified in Suffolk Superior Court as Juror No. 67, told The Boston Globe: “I’m so disappointed. I’ve been waiting my whole life to be a juror in a criminal case.”

The prosecutor apologised to her outside of the courtroom.

Ms Hines said: “I don’t hold it against you - I really don’t.”