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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1625
Location: United States
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 Posted: 17-May-2002 20:44 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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I just completed a civic duty yesterday. I served Jury Duty on a first degree murder charge for 9 days. After 3.5 days of deliberations the verdict vote remained deadlocked at 11 to 1. 11 to convict of 1st degree as a joint venture, and 1 as not guilty. The judge declared it a hung jury, a mistrial and it they will empannel a new jury this monday and start a new trial.
I was saddened that after so much work and effort on the part of 11, that 1 person could end it. But I fully believe that our system does work and we all (except one) fully expect that when we call the courthouse in two weeks that this criminal WILL be found guilty by the next jury.
It was a very interesting case, and a fantastic experience for me to take part in the court system first hand. It also was a rude personal awakening on how gang violence is so close to our everyday lives. The crime actually took place mere blocks away from where I work in Lynn MA.
Thankfully my job is going to pay me for every day which I served.
Has anyone else ever served? How was your experience?
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"I have lived my life trying to be a virtuous man. The Dragon admires tenacity, and the code of the samurai upholds it as well." -Minobu Tetsuhara
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AWAD
Draconis Combine
Chu-sa
Joined: 06-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 766
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| Posted: 17-May-2002 20:57 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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Never served, called or anything. Funny I am registered and I vote. I actually wanted to serve at one time. I bet I get my call in the future at the worst time.
AWAD- We all should serve in one way or another
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Cadet
ComStar
Lieutenant, SG
Joined: 17-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 495
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| Posted: 17-May-2002 21:03 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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I was a witness a couple of times. Kind of cool actually.
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I'm not family friendly. That's why I don't post here.
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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1625
Location: United States
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| Posted: 17-May-2002 21:17 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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As forperson I did have to sit in the witness chair at one point and answer questions from the judge in front of everyone but the jury, and I can tell you it was very unnerving.
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"I have lived my life trying to be a virtuous man. The Dragon admires tenacity, and the code of the samurai upholds it as well." -Minobu Tetsuhara
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Cadet
ComStar
Lieutenant, SG
Joined: 17-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 495
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| Posted: 17-May-2002 21:20 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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"I don't remember"
"I don't recall"
"On the advice of my counsel I respectfully use the 5th Amendment to not incriminate myself"
Yep, used those lines on the stand.
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I'm not family friendly. That's why I don't post here.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 17-May-2002 22:11 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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I served on a jury one time, and the entire trial (including deliberations) took under 6 hours. I don't know if the state offered this guy a deal but if the did he should have fired his lawyer for not taking it.
And I've been called to testify in 2 trials. The first one took about 45 seconds...as I told the police and the DA prior to going to trial I had no first hand knowledge of the events that took place. So I have no idea why they called me as a witness as I witnessed nothing. Your tax dollars in action.
The second time I was a witness for the defense in an auto theft case. The guy was accused of stealing his ex-wife's car. We were playing street hockey in a tennis court about 20 feet away from the couple and several of us actually saw her hand him the keys and tell him to have the car back by 9am the next morning (it was about 8pm). None of us knew either of them but it was very easy to remember the incident. She was a gorgeous blond, was so drunk we could smell the booze on her breath, and quite possibly the easist thing to remember...
....she was totally naked.
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Alexander
Heavy Horse Merc Brigade
Commanding Officer
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 828
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 17-May-2002 22:24 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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Never served on a Jury, but I was a witness at a Courts-Martial, and Prisoner Escourt at a few charge parades. That was more than enough for me, thank-you very much!
Alexander
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War is God's way of teaching geography.
*******
Commanding Officer, North West Armoured Cavalry
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Gunslinger Patch
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Major
Joined: 04-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 1611
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| Posted: 18-May-2002 06:24 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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I've been called three times since I turned 18, a very long time ago. Got out of it once, since I was a student at the time. The other two times I never got picked, waste of time.
You see, when I know I'll be stuck sitting around waiting I bring along a book. I came to learn that lawyers try not pick anybody they see reading, since readers might know how to think and judge for themselves. Same reason they try hard to exclude cops from being on any jury. Cops are kinda judgemental about right and wrong. What the lawyers want is weak willed wusses that have mush for brains, no moral center, and are easily persuaded.
You know, it seems off that in a majority rule nation, all 12 jurors have to agree. If 10 of them say guilty that should be good enough for justice. That is an overwhelming majority opinion, a far better ratio than almost any Supreme court ruling there ever was.
And what's up with picking juries? If that jury is supposed to be 12 ordinary people, than just draw some names out of a hat and go with it, don't argue the case for the jury pool to weed out anybody you think won't take your side. Since when should the lawyers arguing the case be allowed to decide who will be on the jury?
And even then it won't really be a fair and random selection. Mom is a housewife and over 60, she gets called every year, last year twice. But people who work and whose jobs don't pay for jury duty are exempt, since the county only pays a lousy 6 bucks a day. That cuts out half the people from serving right there.
[ This Message was edited by: Gunslinger Patch on 2002-05-18 06:26 ]
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"Those who beat their guns into plows will plow for those with guns..." -Thomas Jefferson
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Vampire
Free Worlds League
Lieutenant Colonel
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 912
Location: Spain
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| Posted: 18-May-2002 07:09 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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The jury system is sh*t. Period. It's just a obsolete medieval relic that has no place in the modern world.
I know, some idiots aped the Americans and we have introduced trial by jury in our legal system, as if things weren't bad enough.
Leave justice to prepared professionals. Though they aren't inmune to stupidity, blackmail, intimidation, and corruption, they are far less vulnerable than 12 random pciked ordinary citizens.
I admit the jury system works on occassion, mostly to convict a criminal common sense and circunstancial evidence say it's guilty, but that the system cannot convict based on technicalities or lack of proof.
But then, what is needed is to reform the laws and tune the system in touch with public opinion, the jury system has far too more drawbacks than benefits and it's entirely impractical in the modern age.
I must say one thing about the US legal system. It sucks, it's a nightmare, but it is impartial. Anyone with enough money can manipulate the system to its benefit. The system may have a racist bias, but in the end it only recognizes the greenback color.
Case in point, the OJ Simpson trial.
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Raven!
Clan Snow Raven
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1326
Location: United States
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| Posted: 18-May-2002 08:43 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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As a defender of the Trial By Jury system the one thing I do like about it is that it does control so called common sense.
Common sense would say that the person who was allegedely mollested by a priest had every right to shoot the priest. But how do we know he did it? How do we know that this wasn't some personal vendetta? As far as I am concerned the only person who can make a decision on true guilt or innocence is God, and last time I checked the average citizen of any nation is far removed from God.
Thats why you need to have 12 people agree 100% that the person is guilty. It is the only fair way. We are mere humans, and do not have the facilities and ability to look at a person by ourselves and determine guilt or innocence.
Case in point, how many times have you been on a subway, or plane, or any form of masstransit system and started talking to someone whom you would have NEVER talked to before, and found out that you really liked them? I know I have! Yet, if I were to see them in court, I'd say "Hmm, maybe they did it, maybe they are guilty" because I don't know them.
Or another example which is a favorite of the ACLU: Racial Profiling. This one should hit home to the minorities on the board. A jury of average middle class white males/females/blacks will always send a poor hispanic to jail. Always.
If even one person has doubts, then the person should walk. It might not be the best answer, but to quote the American founders: I would rather a hundred guilty men go free then one innocent man go to jail.
Is this the common sense we want ruling our justice system? Because if so its not common sense, its mob justice. Its a witch hunt based on race, on religion, on personal vendetta. It has nothing to do with facts or guilt or innocence. It is not justice.
Raven, stepping off of his soap box now!
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ICER
Clan Hell's Horses
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1663
Location: United States
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| Posted: 18-May-2002 13:11 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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I was called to Jury duty once. I showed up in a Hawaiian shirt, Wearing cut off shorts and carrying a six pack, yelling, "Hang'em all, Let god sort'em out." Oddly enough they asked me to leave. go figure
No, That really did not happen, But I can see myself doing it,
I have been around cadet WAY too much
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 18-May-2002 22:53 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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You'd be tossed in jail if you tried that...or at least around here you'd be 
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Hardware
Clan Ghost Bear
Star Colonel
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 605
Location: United States
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| Posted: 18-May-2002 23:24 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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I'd be perfect for a jury. I can spot a guilty person just like that. Now bring that guilty b*stard in here so we can give him a fair trial and a right nice hanging.
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The more I get to know people the more I like my dog.
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Cadet
ComStar
Lieutenant, SG
Joined: 17-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 495
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| Posted: 19-May-2002 01:52 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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Quote:
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On 2002-05-18 22:53, chihawk wrote:
You'd be tossed in jail if you tried that...or at least around here you'd be
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But he's from Texas...they do things a little differently down there...
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Gunslinger Patch
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Major
Joined: 04-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 1611
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| Posted: 19-May-2002 04:14 Post subject: Intense Jury Duty |
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For Raven, I also think juries are a good thing, but only so long as the lawyers are not allowed to drag out the trial to the point where the jury just wants to go home more than anything else, as in OJ.
But 12 out of 12 is just asking far too much. It is an impossible ideal. How many scumbags have walked because of one single screwball with an alternate view of reality. And how much of my tax money was spent to try, and retry, and then give up on trying some scumbag? I want to see some stats on what percentage of criminal trials have to be tried all over again due to a hung jury with just 1 or two dissenters.
And in the meantime, I can't even pay a speeding ticket without being required to wait around for hours to see a judge who can't seem to hear me when I keep telling him I just want to pay the damn ticket and not go see some stupid comedy safe driving lecture at the pizza place.
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"Those who beat their guns into plows will plow for those with guns..." -Thomas Jefferson
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