Ever been on a jury?

[Lester]

O.k. just been talking about this in irc. So I'll give it a spin, seeing as we're trying to be mature and debate stuff this week.

Have you ever been on one? What did you think? Is British justice well served by juries?

I was, but it's a long story which I'll tell when I get some time.

 

[Testin da Cable]

hmm. good one. it's not a thing I'd volunteer for, methinks, though my reasons aren't particularly clear. I guess I prefer to distance myself from passing judgement on others. I dunno, and I'm running a slight fever. I'll stop now :/

 

[Lester]

Well, you don't volunteer. You are coerced and you have to have a very good reason not to go.

 

[throdgrain]

I dont think Im allowed on a jury tbh

 

[dysfunction]

A friend of mine has been on a jury. He delayed his jury time 3 times and then they started getting a bit annoyed!

He seemed to enjoy it and thinks that justice was served on the trials that he sat in on. He seemed to think that the system worksreasonably well.

He did spend quite a bit of time waiting at the court house waiting to be chosen for a jury.

 

[Lester]

Originally posted by throdgrain
I dont think Im allowed on a jury tbh

Tagging really fucks you up eh?

 

[xane]

I've done jury service twice, and in both cases it was an enlightening experience.

Suffice to say after observing the intellectual quality of the average jury member in action, I'd be crapping myself if I ever have to appear in the dock.

For example, a girl on the juror pool was wearing a necklace with the name "SARAH" on it, someone called her "Sarah" and was suprized when she said her name was not so, when asked about the necklace she claimed it belonged to her sister and she liked it and wore it.

This girl was due to pass judgement on some poor sucker.

Myself I'm a real bastard, had at least three sent down so far

 

[old.D0LLySh33p]

Originally posted by throdgrain
I dont think Im allowed on a jury tbh

Isn't that a good thing then?

 

[whipped]

Never been in a Jury before, although I did used to volunteer for police line ups.

One guy had been caught trying to steal a tent (A tent!) by shoving it under his coat. Funnily enough, the manager spotted this blatent theft and grabbed him as he left the store, but the guy got away. Later on, the manager was in the local McDonalds and the guy from before saw him and proceeded to beat 10 shades of shit out of him.

Every single person picked the culprite out of the line up, apart from some woman who picked me!

 

[Lester]

Well I served on a jury last year. The standard of people was shocking tbh. I'm a bit of a closet fascist anyway but they really weren't up to judging wether they should wear trainers with trousers, never mind a crown court case.

The first case I got called for was cut and dried. Two guys nicking from work. Loads of evidence, a paper trail etc. The verdict? 11 innocent v 1 guilty (yes you've guessed it, me) So after a couple of hours trying to persuade them I gave up. They were two young lads in nice suits and smart haircuts.

Second case. A garage owner receiving a stolen van. The evidence wasn't clear at all and although I thought he was guilty, I don't think the case was proved at all, the prosecution having done a very bad job. The verdict 11 guilty v 1 innocent (yes me again) another hour passes and I'm less popular than the car dealer. He was scruffy, foot long beard and mumbled.

Now I'm not normally this out of step with what people think and based on the evidence alone, believe I got it right. But the jurors' comments were , well, unbelivable. " he looks dodgy" "aren't they nice boys" etc. They stopped the case several times to pass questions to the judge along the way that were completely unrelated. The judge, tho, seemed really on the ball which surprised me tbh (tabloid junkie that I am)

So the upshot is, if you get caught for something then go for a jury trial, shave, put on a suit and smile! It's a sure thing.

 

[old.D0LLySh33p]

That's sad Lester, bet you were more than annoyed at the dunces you had to jury with

You could have re-enacted the film "12 angry men" on that first case though

 

[throdgrain]

Originally posted by old.D0LLySh33p


Isn't that a good thing then?

Well I dunno m8, I don't have the option now, which is never good.
Actually, on consideration , Im not bothered

 

[old.D0LLySh33p]

All it would do is take you away from your loved ones, mrs. thoddy and two (or three?) lil'uns...

Wait a min... that's a good thing!

 

[.cage]

no but i learnt about them in the first year of my law a lev

it was FUN

 

[Mellow-]

Originally posted by Lester
The first case I got called for was cut and dried. Two guys nicking from work. Loads of evidence, a paper trail etc. The verdict? 11 innocent v 1 guilty (yes you've guessed it, me) So after a couple of hours trying to persuade them I gave up. They were two young lads in nice suits and smart haircuts.

So you're saying that even though the evidence piled up to prove they did steal, the other 11 muppets on the jury thought they were innocent?

That's pretty fucked up!

 

[Xtro]

Originally posted by whipped

Every single person picked the culprite out of the line up, apart from some woman who picked me!

Heh reminds me of when I was about 19. Wandering down the road with a couple of mates when a police van pulls up. After realising we weren't in trouble, the coppers asked us if we would come down to the station and help with a line-up. We'd get a cuppa and a few quid. Fuck it why not?

Some jippo was up for nicking an old bid's car. She ended up picking me out. The guy who did it had short brown hair whilst I had an electric blue mohican...

 

[old.D0LLySh33p]

I think she liked your hair

What happened though?