Prejudice against biker pays off

**blackdog** · 13th February 2012, 19:23

Had jury service. My name comes up in the ballot for some tax evasion case. As I approach the jury area the crown lawyer uses a challenge so I'm stood down. I guess the helmet and leathers in addition to the biker stereotype in her eyes added up to someone she thought wasn't going to help the prosecution.

Fantastic, as the last thing I wanted was to spend a week listening to expert testimony from a bunch of accountants. So glad I didn't take the car.

**Oakie** · 13th February 2012, 19:31

Originally Posted by blackdog

as the last thing I wanted was to spend a week listening to expert testimony from a bunch of accountants.

...now THAT sounds more like a punishment than anything white collar criminals usually get.

**The Lone Rider** · 13th February 2012, 19:40

I dunno... as long as I bring a book and some nice snacks while waiting around before the trial, I found it a good change of pace from my day job.

Wouldn't want to do it more than once though.

**cheshirecat** · 13th February 2012, 20:11

Was asked once and sent a reply back in carefuly indescipherable handwriting that since i was designing a show (true) it would jeapodise the production if selected (true). Also included some stray colour powder pigments in the letter to ensure they would remember me. Never been asked again.

**GingerMidget** · 13th February 2012, 20:48

Good thinking. Id say I would want to do jury service, but I can barely get a full two day weekend at the moment, I don't imagine I'd get a week off to listen to some overweight guy in a suit whining about how his client is innocent.

**flyingcrocodile46** · 13th February 2012, 21:45

Originally Posted by cheshirecat

Was asked once and sent a reply back in carefuly indescipherable handwriting that since i was designing a show (true) it would jeapodise the production if selected (true). Also included some stray colour powder pigments in the letter to ensure they would remember me. Never been asked again.

I was asked twice. Didn't want to go either time. First time I wrote explaining that my company was short staffed and my absence would jeopordise the company's viability. They excused me.

Second time (was about a year later) I figured I didn't want to be having to make excuses repeatadly in the future so wrote them to advise that I didn't want to be a jurour, that I was a racist and as the majority of crime was comitted by the minority, I would be very unlikely to give an unbiased verdict. I then stated that if they didn't believe me then they must reason that I was a liar and was therefore not fit for jury duty.

Got a letter back stating that I was excused from any future jury duty.

**steve_t** · 13th February 2012, 21:54

I LOL at the letter they send you when they excuse you. Something along the lines of "OK, we'll let you off just this once...."

**danchop** · 14th February 2012, 08:22

do they vette jurors?i got chosen on a jury for an assualt case about 10 years ago,yet i had been convicted for assualt myself previously?

**Zedder** · 14th February 2012, 08:37

Originally Posted by danchop

do they vette jurors?i got chosen on a jury for an assualt case about 10 years ago,yet i had been convicted for assualt myself previously?

Vetting is meant to be carried out. Maybe you came under the "clean slate" criteria.

What makers me laugh is that everyone I've heard of has got off jury service so it must be bloody hard for them to get people.

**avgas** · 14th February 2012, 08:41

I have never been called.
I often wonder if Jury's are just compiled of unemployed.

**gijoe1313** · 14th February 2012, 12:48

I got a call for jury duty several years back, wrote in a letter stating as I was an educator it didn't make sense for me to be away from my classes, especially with the seniors approaching the end of year exams. Got the standard letter back saying I was excused from jury duty. Though, apparently they are now cracking down on this, since so few teachers ever end up as jurors!

**Gremlin** · 14th February 2012, 13:03

Yeah, they're cracking down now much harder (probably because it's a lot harder to find anyone).

Been summoned once, wrote in, I was on call 24/7 to respond to issues if they arose and I had to sort them out (which I was), and there was no-one to cover me (the joys of small businesses). Got off.

Dad got summoned, wrote in saying he didn't believe in all this soft punishment and felt he wanted harsher sentences. Got off as well. One of his guys was summoned, wrote in on his behalf, needed him, got refused.

Reality is, got too much stuff on to deal with jury service

**Usarka** · 14th February 2012, 13:10

Trial by jury - your fate is in the hands of 12 people who are too stupid to get off jury service.

**oneofsix** · 14th February 2012, 13:13

Originally Posted by Usarka

Trial by jury - your fate is in the hands of 12 people who are too stupid to get off jury service.

perhaps not for much longer

Originally Posted by http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6414419/Radical-trial-system-shake-up-proposed

The Law Commission has proposed a radical shake-up of New Zealand's trial system, suggesting the dumping of 12-person juries in favour of "semi-professional" trained jurors and judge alone trials

**superman** · 14th February 2012, 13:15

Originally Posted by blackdog

Had jury service. My name comes up in the ballot for some tax evasion case. As I approach the jury area the crown lawyer uses a challenge so I'm stood down. I guess the helmet and leathers in addition to the biker stereotype in her eyes added up to someone she thought wasn't going to help the prosecution.

Fantastic, as the last thing I wanted was to spend a week listening to expert testimony from a bunch of accountants. So glad I didn't take the car.

When I got called I was challenged. Joys of being too young for 'life experience' in the views of most old folk.