Prejudice against biker pays off

[Smifffy]

I would willingly attend jury service if called. I would like to think that if anyone that I cared about was the victim of some nasty crime, and the perpetrator was caught and brought to trial, that an intelligent, well reasoned person would be able to spare a week or two out of their lives to participate in determining the facts of the matter.

To the people that think it's funny to avoid their jury service, I hope that you never need to rely on the criminal 'justice' system in NZ. Isn't it strange how so many people make all manner of demands on society but are prepared to put so little back in. I guess just paying tax is simply enough.

I wonder what it was about NZ that attracted some people here in the first place, surely can't have been the perceived crime rate.

[flyingcrocodile46]

I would like to think that ..... an intelligent, well reasoned person would be able to spare a week or two out of their lives

One maybe........ if you are reeeaalllly lucky.

The other 11 will be the wall on which he breaks his skull.

[far queue]

I’ve been called for jury service 3 times and sat on a jury all 3 times. Each time the other jury members were all normal rational people, and intelligent debate/discussion was had in reaching a unanimous decision for 2 of the cases. In the 3rd case the defendant changed his plea to guilty after the first day, so we were dismissed, but the rest of the jury seemed normal enough up to that point. Neither of the two cases that went all the way were immediately unanimous – they both required debate, and one required going back to the judge for some clarification. I found the experience to be interesting, although the courtroom stuff can get a bit tedious and drag on sometimes. Oh and all the jury members were in full time employment. None of the jury members fit the stereotypes being made by a number of the previous posters here who, as they've admitted, haven't actually sat on a jury themselves to find out. After the case in which the defendant changed his plea, we were told we had to come back the next day and be available to be called for another case if needed. I was called again, but this time challenged when my arse was about 3” off the seat on the way down! The other prospective jurors seemed to find this amusing – bastards.

A few months ago I spent a whole day in court as a supporter for someone, and saw lots and lots of traffic cases go through, and a couple of non-traffic ones. Some 1st time offenders and some repeat offenders. I was impressed with the judge’s handling of them all. A couple got let off very lightly, a couple got quite harsh penalties, and the rest were all somewhere in between. He was very consistent, in as much as the more history of offending the defendant had the harsher the punishment was. I felt they all deserved what they got, whether heavy or light.

[Ender EnZed]

Yes. I generally have a lot of time for judges.

Except for the old cunt who sentenced me more harshly for riding my motorbike while suspended on demerit points than he sentenced the drunk driver who came before me. Fair cop and all that, but the relative penalties (I got the same 6-month DQ, but a bigger fine) boggled me.

An eternal mystery, and a reminder of the occasionally arbitrary nature of our justice system.

It's not necessarily all that arbitrary. If you were the repeat offender (which you were) and it was drunky's first offence (which it might've been) then it makes sense that you need more deterring than just some more months disqualified. If drunky was losing his licence for the first time then that might be all that was needed to turn him into a model citizen.

He was very consistent, in as much as the more history of offending the defendant had the harsher the punishment was.

This. ^^^

[jrandom]

It's not necessarily all that arbitrary. If you were the repeat offender (which you were)

No, it was my first offence. You're confusing it with 'driving while disqualified'. I was just suspended on demerit points, which is different. Never been in the dock before.

And I can still be a cop or an army officer if I want to apply, unlike that drunk driver.

Yet, the judge's whole affect toward me was noticeably more negative and aggressive.

*shrug*

Must've been the lycra.

[Gremlin]

Must've been the lycra.

Nobody likes to see lycra in buildings

It's like togs and undies...

[Swoop]

Having been called on quite a few cases, the approach of "biker look" does not always work. A fellow in cordura, white helmet, etc, etc made a big show of picking up all his gear and headed for the jury seats, only having to find a place to stow all the stuff and sit down. Rather entertaining really. A suit will sometimes get you off as well, but really depends on the lawyers who are challenging (aren't ALL lawyers challenging?) the prospective juror.

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

I can completely assure you that this is not the case.

[rastuscat]

The Urewera terrorism trial is an interesting case.

Estimated to take 3 months. How may gainfully employed people can afford to put their lives and jobs on hold for 3 months to sit on a jury? I totally agree that it's a civic duty, and I'd do it if I weren't excluded (Popo), but it must be bloody difficult to organise.

[oneofsix]

The Urewera terrorism trial is an interesting case.

Estimated to take 3 months. How may gainfully employed people can afford to put their lives and jobs on hold for 3 months to sit on a jury? I totally agree that it's a civic duty, and I'd do it if I weren't excluded (Popo), but it must be bloody difficult to organise.

yeah. If your employer decides to keep paying your wages helps, but if you have to take the jury allowance it would really hurt a lot. And that doesn't touch the family crisis, one jurer already released due to a death in the family or something. Just getting your kids set up for the new school year is more than enough for most. I guess Jury is not like work where you can take 5 to sort out an urgent family matter, been called a few times but always challenged .

[Flip]

I was recently called up. My wanganui record has "known gang associate" because of my family and it did not get me off.

After being on one I have a lot of faih in the legal court system now. The jury I was on had a lot of technical information to get through and did so in a very professional manner.

I think everybody should do Jury service if they can, I was lucky as my employer at the time paid me to go.