MaggieD
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2010
- Messages
- 43,244
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- Chicago Area
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- Political Leaning
- Moderate
Prosecution's Job: To convince 12 jury members to vote guilty.
Defense's Job: To convince 1 jury member to vote not guilty.
Barring prosecutorial misconduct, our judicial system couldn't be more fair to defendants.
Agree or disagree.
Prosecution's Job: To convince 12 jury members to vote guilty.
Defense's Job: To convince 1 jury member to vote not guilty.
Barring prosecutorial misconduct, our judicial system couldn't be more fair to defendants.
Agree or disagree.
Funny, I have no faith in the system. It's the best in the world, and it still sucks. It's why I will never sit on a jury in any case, and they ask more often than you would be believe. On one side you have those saying he's the devil, on the other an angel, and the truth is nearly always in the middle. That part gets left out.I have great faith in the judgment of one's peers. I will admit that I don't understand the states such as Florida that require only a 6-person jury in non-capital murder cases, but even in a recent and notorious case, that 6-woman jury did an honorable job, IMO.
Funny, I have no faith in the system. It's the best in the world, and it still sucks. It's why I will never sit on a jury in any case, and they ask more often than you would be believe. On one side you have those saying he's the devil, on the other an angel, and the truth is nearly always in the middle. That part gets left out.
It means I am staying true to my decision after a great deal of thought. It's odd that you would have issues with that? Shouldn't that be the norm?So... you think the system sucks, so you refuse to participate and make at least your little corner of the world better.
Stay classy. :roll:
It means I am staying true to my decision after a great deal of thought. It's odd that you would have issues with that? Shouldn't that be the norm?
I find it interesting that you want other people to sacrifice for the common good when it comes to gay issues and the Olympics, but you are unwilling to make your own individual sacrifice for the common good when it comes to something like jury duty.It means I am staying true to my decision after a great deal of thought. It's odd that you would have issues with that? Shouldn't that be the norm?
I agree, but somebody needs to have a backbone and stand for reason.The jury I hung didn't give me a lot of faith in the jury system. Everyone but me was saying how the guy was a sleaze bag and deserved to go to jail even though there was no evidence he committed the crime he was accused of. He was a scum bag and did deserve to be in jail but IMO that's not the way a jury should deliberate.
In my area if you know you are going to be found gullty of something, you are better off with a bench trial. Our jurors do okay on the guilt/innocence thing but are not merciful when it comes to sentencing.
It means I am staying true to my decision after a great deal of thought. It's odd that you would have issues with that? Shouldn't that be the norm?
Just my personal opinion, but I don't think jurors should be in charge of sentencing. At all. Guilt/not guilt only.
I believe this is something that varies from state to state.
I'd like to agree with you but my conscience won't let me. "But I was just doing my duty" is not enough for me if someone is wrongly convicted.The "norm" should be that everyone is willing to do their civic duty. Because it's inconvenient? Because it's not perfect? Wrong reasons to abdicate one's responsibilities.
Not going to the Olympics is not the same thing as living with the thought for the rest of your life that you convicted an innocent person. One is missing a premiere sporting event, one is going against your conscience. Those are not even in the same league.I find it interesting that you want other people to sacrifice for the common good when it comes to gay issues and the Olympics, but you are unwilling to make your own individual sacrifice for the common good when it comes to something like jury duty.
I get the wrongfully convicted aspect, absolutely. That is one of my Top 3 pet issues.I'd like to agree with you but my conscience won't let me. "But I was just doing my duty" is not enough for me if someone is wrongly convicted.
The two issues aren't really the same. One, the athletes do have free will of their own, and can be easily educated regarding the concerns and dangers. If they don't already know.Not going to the Olympics is not the same thing as living with the thought for the rest of your life that you convicted an innocent person. One is missing a premiere sporting event, one is going against your conscience. Those are not even in the same league.
What you are asking of gay athletes is put yourself at risk of attest and prosecution in a country where the US cannot protect you, and while you're there please don't be yourself because over there you're a criminal. I'll stick with my way thanks all the same.
What you think of yourself doesn't fix an easily corrupted system that has a significant rate of false convictions. And Civil Rights are no lesser issue. Just because the symbol of that is now the Olympic Games doesn't change the fact that in life you often have to take a stand.I get the wrongfully convicted aspect, absolutely. That is one of my Top 3 pet issues.
I prefer, however, to view myself as one of the checks-and-balances to a steamroller justice system. At least as much as I can be, given how my information as a juror might be limited, and so on.
The two issues aren't really the same. One, the athletes do have free will of their own, and can be easily educated regarding the concerns and dangers. If they don't already know.
Two, the Olympics is actually the lesser of the issues. Potential for wrongful conviction is far more important. Yet, you're willing to abdicate your responsibility for the important issue, then subject others to your whims on the lesser issue.
Prosecution's Job: To convince 12 jury members to vote guilty.
Defense's Job: To convince 1 jury member to vote not guilty.
Barring prosecutorial misconduct, our judicial system couldn't be more fair to defendants.
Agree or disagree.
Prosecution's Job: To convince 12 jury members to vote guilty.
Defense's Job: To convince 1 jury member to vote not guilty.
Barring prosecutorial misconduct, our judicial system couldn't be more fair to defendants.
Agree or disagree.
Prosecution's Job: To convince 12 jury members to vote guilty.
Defense's Job: To convince 1 jury member to vote not guilty.
Barring prosecutorial misconduct, our judicial system couldn't be more fair to defendants.
Agree or disagree.
Agree in theory, disagree in practical application.
It sounds great, doesn't it? It sounds like it just oozes with checks and balances and all that other "we want to be super sure" noble stuff.
If it were "one and done", as in one trial, that would be one thing. The reality is that many, if not most, trials that end in a hung jury are declared a mistrial and the defendent is re-tried... and it is not uncommon for this to continue over and over until the prosecution eventually finds the right 12 jurors to gain that desired guilty verdict. That is not the level playing field that errs on the side of caution (presumed innocence) that it is portrayed to be.
Then, add in the fact that many defendants, even if truly and formally acquitted, then get other charges such as federal civil rights abuses thrown at them, and it gets even worse. After the fact, not concurrent, as if it is a purely punitive measure for having the audacity to be acquitted at all. How dare they thwart the prosecutor's need to be righteously pious! (Probably more high profile cases, and not so much routine stuff you never hear about)
Do you have a source for this?
It's hard for me to believe that could be the case. If so, that's a horrendous abuse of power.
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