Because the jury system, as currently run, is stupid. Yes, jury trial is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution (although only with regard to federal cases). It was originally considered a hallmark of civilized criminal justice because citizens did not want to be subjected to government inquisitions, with the court stacked against them. Juries were supposed to be a bulwark against governmental encroachment (Rivolta). Nowadays, juries have become a hallmark of our heavily bureaucratized system. Those who have day jobs are eager to avoid serving on juries, mainly because the convoluted rules of procedure and evidence have turned summary trials into week-long events. By and large, only the least offensive – and not coincidentally, the dumbest – tend to be selected for juries. As the aphorism goes, the problem with juries is that they are generally composed of the 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty (Document E).…
This is why the film Twelve Angry Men suggest that The United States Judicial system is very unfair to the person being tried because they don't check into the juror members enough which can lead to a very unfair jury…
The jury system is simply a system in which the verdict in a legal case is decided by a group of twelve regular citizens(the jurors). A lot of questions have been asked about the validity and importance of the jury system. I think the jury system is not a good idea and should therefore be removed because the jurors sometimes do not consider or even understand the evidence provides. They often let their personal feelings affect their verdict, or base it on unreasonable factors, and…
From the use of a judge to listen to both sides of the trial, to the impartial jury that is used to decide the verdict of the trial. Everyone in the courtroom is there to offer a fair, and safe trial for whomever may have charges brought against them. It may be true that there are many things within the Criminal Justice system that may not work efficiently or even effectively, however there is nothing that is perfect. There is something to be said when it comes to the American Justice system; it gets many things right when it comes to equal rights and fairness for the American…
Internet research clearly showed a long history for jury nullification in the US. An explanation of jury nullification, and in particular race based jury nullification, is that it is a method whereby juries nullify unfair laws by declaring guilty defendants not guilty. Race based nullification is where a jury acquits and individual based on their race. This is commonly found in homogenous juries where there is little jury diversity. Past cases such as runaway slave laws and current cases such as police shootings show that race-based nullification is still an issue in modern courtrooms. The conclusion being that jury nullification is an important power necessary for the checks and balances of the judicial system…
If life truly is what you or we the people make it than we are all guilty of negligence and selfish immaturity. The existence of our civil liberty is under constant threat and that is something that should never be allowed to go on with such neglect. Laws should not only protect the rights, freedoms, and safety of the people but also should enhance the civil liberty of those who are expected to uphold such laws. This is why we have a jury and this is why the jury possesses the power of responsibility to protect civil liberty at all costs. The handbook for trial jurors serving in the United States District Courts clearly states and touches on the importance of jury service. It says that jurors maintain a vital role in our justice system and the protection of our rights and liberties is largely achieved through the teamwork of judge and jury who, working together in a common effort, put into practice the principles of our great heritage of freedom. It also goes on to say the judge determines the law to be applied in the case while the jury decides the facts. Thus, in a very important way, jurors become a part of the court itself. Jurors must be men and women possessed of sound judgment, absolute honesty, and a complete sense of fairness. Jury service is a high duty of citizenship. Jurors aid in the maintenance of law and order and uphold justice among their fellow citizens. In addition to determining and adjusting property rights, jurors may also be asked to decide questions involving a crime for which a person may be fined, placed on probation, or confined in prison. In a very real sense, therefore, the people must rely upon jurors…
The role the jury trial plays in criminal cases is fundamental to the American scheme of justice.1 The right to a jury trial is rooted in our legal tradition2 and is articulated in the U.S. Constitution.3 This protection extends back to British common law, and serves as a check against government oppression by ensuring that a defendant’s fate lies in the hands of a jury of ordinary citizens rather than the government’s prosecutor or judge.4 Coupled with the presumption of innocence, the right to a jury trial serves as a “cornerstone of Anglo-Saxon justice”5 that limits potential government tyranny. At the heart of jury trial protections and the presumption of innocence lies the concern that it is better to let a guilty man go free than to convict an innocent man.6…
A good number of Americans are not happy about a criminal being let free not because the law is unjust, but because he belong to a certain race. They view jury nullification as releasing wrong does back to the society to commit more crimes. The juror should therefore avoid jury nullification and consider the vulgarity of the criminal act committed, the background of the defendant and whether the law is just or not before deciding on this option. Race based jury nullification is subject to misuse by both the white and the black jurors. In many occasions jury nullification has been used to favor a certain race at the expense of the other race. Whites who have committed crimes against the blacks have been set free by juries at the expense of the blacks. Black juries have also misused jury…
The advantage of having a trial by jury allows a sort of "second trial." For example, in the movie Twelve Angry Men, every single jury member voted guilty, except for one. The other eleven men demanded his reasons for voting Not Guilty, and he gave them. In the end, they voted Not Guilty unanimously. Now, the defendant in question was charged with murder, to which the penalty was death by electrocution. However, the evidence, which most of the jury members did not question, was not as sound as they thought, and the man that voted Not guilty showed them that. If the defendant hadn't had a jury, then he would have been sentenced to death, whether he was guilty or not, due to the meager and circumstantial evidence…
1. Describe a company that you think uses advertisement well as a promotional strategy. What do you think makes their advertisements successful? (1-5 sentences. 2.0 points) McDonalds uses ads well because there M logo is recognized around the world when you see the M you know its McDonalds…
The right to a trial by jury can be traced to the Magna Carta in 1215. This right was incorporated into…
The system of being judged by a jury was put into place by the founding fathers of this nation to prevent governmental overreaching. Alexander Hamilton stated “it was the surest protection of the people’s liberties”. It is a form of safety net because it allows…
The jury pool is initially chosen from among the community utilizing a random strategy. Jury records are gathered from voter enlistments and driver permit/state id. From these records, some people are mailed. They will be addressed in court by the judge and/or lawyers in the U.S. According to Shari Seidman, in some cases such as capital punishment, the jury must be death qualified. Jury procedures are taught in law institutions to law students. The jury chose is said to have been…
It isn’t arduous to see why some may question the efficiency of trial by jury and whether it should, and is able to, continue to discover innocence or guilt. Regarding the trial of Vicky Pryce, the failure of the jury within the hearing conjured ridicule and disdain from the judge and the media. The case deeply unsettled the trust of many in the system. The eight women and four men were dismissed after illustrating “fundamental deficits of understanding” (Jacobson, Hunter & Kirby, 2015, p. 55). Their profuse questions for the judge were deemed as unintelligent and unnecessary and so a costly re-trial was required. Consequently, this ordeal provoked a stronger desire for the abolition of trial by jury, to be replaced by a single judge as a more…
Every American that has registered to vote or has a drivers license can at any time be called to serve on a jury. There are mixed feelings about being called for duty. Some Americans see it as a nuisance that will disrupt their lives. Others see it as an opportunity to serve their country. Being called to serve, and actually serving is two different matters. A jury is ultimately selected by the judge, prosecutor and defending attorney. How they are they picked? How are they released? Maybe this paper will answer a few of these questions.…