Thoughts from a juror

[Fatjim]

I'm on a trial at the moment, for the first time in my short life, as a juror.

I thought I'd give a brief commentary, not in real time, but as I want to document my feelings briefly as to which way I'm swinging without forgetting them I'll start now.

I also can't give anything awaything about the case, nor will I read any posts until after the trial has finished.



First day. After arriving at the court I almost had a face off with a young twat who is giving the court assistants grief. She seems a dear old lady witha good sense of humour and this idiot is talking back to here, in front of a large room full (about 300 I guess) prospective jurors. I told him to pull his head in and he gives me the tough guy look. I then stood up. Problem over. What I can't believe is the twat wanted to start something in front of 300 witnesses, 2 court attendants and the immediate vicinity of about 50 cops. Not to mention some very protective judges who would love to dish out some real justice for a change.

Get into the court room as I have been balloted to a trial. At this point I still have 3 outs. I might not get called, I might get rejected, or I might know someone involved in the trial. No such luck! AAARRRGGGGHHHH! My boss is going to be pissed.



Accused shows up in court room and I think GUILTY! He/she just looks guilty. Not to bright looking, almost trailer trashy.

After hearing the prosecution intro this swings to NOT GUILTY. I now go into impartial mode an start listening to lots of irrelevant facts for the rest of the day, or so it seems.

Go home bored after trying to clean up the mess at work now that I'm on leave.


End of day one

[Finn]

300 people in court, 50 cops... bit easy figuring out which trial it is. It was that guy that did 55 past a school right?

[MSTRS]

Nah Finn...gotta be that dickhead cop who u-turned and took out the 2 bikers last year. 50 cop mates there for support....

[terbang]

Nah Finn...gotta be that dickhead cop who u-turned and took out the 2 bikers last year. 50 cop mates there for support....

Well he did say trailer trashy and not too bright looking...

[Badjelly]

If you were reading this thread, Fatjim, I'd say be careful, as I think you're in danger of going beyond what you're allowed to discuss about the case with other people, i.e., basically nothing. But you're not (reading it, I mean), so I won't.

[slimjim]

ooorrr come on . do tell !!!! lol

[ManDownUnder]

Well he did say trailer trashy and not too bright looking...

WOOOAAAA - I'm on trial???

[Oakie]

If you were reading this thread, Fatjim, I'd say be careful, as I think you're in danger of going beyond what you're allowed to discuss about the case with other people, i.e., basically nothing. But you're not (reading it, I mean), so I won't.

Good way to get kicked off the jury though.

[Skyryder]

If you were reading this thread, Fatjim, I'd say be careful, as I think you're in danger of going beyond what you're allowed to discuss about the case with other people, i.e., basically nothing. But you're not (reading it, I mean), so I won't.


Yep if the mods have any brains they'll move this pronto. If the guy is found guilty and his defence sees what you have written you Fatjim are for the chop big time. You have already stated a predispotion to his guilt by what he looks like.

Skyyrder

[spudchucka]

I don't think there is any problem with what has been said at this stage BUT, there is significant risk in discussing any matters to do with actual current court proceedings when you are a juror.

My suggestion is that the thread should be locked. Talk all you want about it afterwards.

[SixPackBack]

I don't think there is any problem with what has been said at this stage BUT, there is significant risk in discussing any matters to do with actual current court proceedings when you are a juror.

My suggestion is that the thread should be locked. Talk all you want about it afterwards.

Whatever happens to the thread Fatjim, it would be fascinating to hear the continuation of your juror experience. Perhaps you could keep a written diary and rely your thoughts later?

[McDuck]

My brothers flat had a debate about how best to get off it. We desided that they were
1) Judge i have a problem, I HATE NIGGERS.
2) say in a loud voice 'shit dosnt he look guilty'
3) Yell you 'i am going to get you you little cunt'


And a few others like that.

[riffer]

Spudchucka talks sense. This is a very easy way to have a mistrial declared, no matter your intentions. Even discussing your observations about the way people behave (and not even mentioning what was said, or done) could be enough for a sleazy lawyer to try and use.

I'd love to hear your thoughts after the trial James.

[PrincessBandit]

Been called twice. Begged out of it first time; second time got called for one of the trials set for that day. The defendant decided to plead guilty before it got any further so after sitting for an incredibly boring morning of waiting I still got to go home without seeing the inside of a court room. Ooops, guess that doesn't qualify my as a juror then!

[Fatjim]

Well its finished. I decided not to visit the thread until now as I had to be very careful not only to not be swayed by those not involved in the trail, but not to appear to be swayed.



What I wanted to get across in this thread is that juries seem impossible to read in most cases.

I myself zigzagged all over the place. But it's not until all the evidence was heard and the Judge summed up that I started to apply the test of reasonable doubt and the burden off proof.

Without giving anything away about the trial what struck me most about the trial were

1. The complete bollocks the "expert" witness gave. I discounted his evidence immediately because I had first hand knowledge that contradicted his evidence, and could understand why his calculations differed from my experience. Fortunately the experts "guesses" were not noticeably used in deliberation, but for other reasons than mine about inconsistencies in his testimony leading the jurors (after I explained it to the jury that the judge had painfully pointed it out, without pointing it out) that the expert appeared to doubt elements of his very own evidence.

2. How some people swayed in their decisions, sometimes with what I thought was flawed logic, one juror swayed 3 or 4 times and let us know. Each time this guy had completely misunderstood in my mind what the key points were. His lack of logic almost convinced me to change my own mind in reverse of his it was so bad.

3. How some people were very sure of their own verdict, from very early on in the deliberations and could not be swayed. They did not appear premature in their decision and were very convinced.

4. How different peoples thought processes are, and how those in the legal system fail to realise that Joe Blo can not always understand what a lawyer or judge may feel is a simple conclusion. I have many examples of this throughout the trial, and it is what I feel was the most frustrating part of the process.

5. West plaza sucks, don't ever stay there.



In terms of vote swaying. the first count we took was 10-2. This moved around a bit but in the end it finished reversed 4-8, and that's as close as we got.

I was in the minority at the first vote, the other person who gave the same vote did not agree on me in terms of his reason throughout the process, and I was a bit saddened by that. But my heart sank when at the second vote more people agreed with me. This is because I did not vote with what my gut told me, although I wanted to. I voted on the facts we had in front of me. I felt my vote was wrong in terms of what actually happened, and I couldn't do anything about it.

However, as a Juror, the most important thing to me, is that I can live with my vote, and I believe every other Juror can too.