American Jury Selection

[Kreskin]

I have been watching the Casey Anthony jury selection process. Their selection system is a bit of a joke. In Canada to get a reasonably fair jury you pick 12 random people and ensure they their aren't any extraordinary issues, like knowing the accused. In the US they pick the 12 best liars.

"Do you have an opinion on mass murderers?"

"No"

"If someone attacked you with a knife would you fight back or wait for the legal process to take it's course?"

"Wait for the legal process."

Come on, that's what the system sounds like. Those people want to get on the jury so they can get their 15 minutes of fame and a book deal. No amount of bull****ting changes that fact.

Oh well, meaningless rant finished.

 

[PoliticalNick]

I have been watching the Casey Anthony jury selection process. Their selection system is a bit of a joke. In Canada to get a reasonably fair jury you pick 12 random people and ensure they their aren't any extraordinary issues, like knowing the accused. In the US they pick the 12 best liars.

I know, with preemptory challanges, challanges for cause, the whole voir-dire process. I have seen the jury selection take far longer than the trial. They wonder why the legal system is sooo expensive.

"If someone attacked you with a knife would you fight back or wait for the legal process to take it's course?"

I would laugh at them for bringing a knife to a gun fight..LOL. Do you think that answer would get me excluded?

 

[ironsides]

I have been watching the Casey Anthony jury selection process. Their selection system is a bit of a joke. In Canada to get a reasonably fair jury you pick 12 random people and ensure they their aren't any extraordinary issues, like knowing the accused. In the US they pick the 12 best liars.

"Do you have an opinion on mass murderers?"

"No"

"If someone attacked you with a knife would you fight back or wait for the legal process to take it's course?"

"Wait for the legal process."

Come on, that's what the system sounds like. Those people want to get on the jury so they can get their 15 minutes of fame and a book deal. No amount of bull****ting changes that fact.

Oh well, meaningless rant finished.

The defense has the right to know if a potential juror will vote the death penalty if found guilty, have to know what knowledge the juror about the trial, they can ask you anything. Yes a person can say anything they want to the court, but if found out they will face charges also for lying. Your system is no different, no matter what you say about it. Just some so called proper English/French words thrown in. You seem to think that preemptory challanges are wrong?

 

[YukonJack]

Why is there a jury selection in the first place?

It would be far cheaper to the taxpayers and just as effective and valid, if there were, let's say 20 people picked from the population at random, by computer (perhaps based on voters registration or census) and dismiss 8, who more than likely, would be complete idiots and then pay the remaining 12 more than the offensive pittance they get now?

And WHY 12 on a jury? Why not more? Fewer?

Once I wasted a week attending jury selection process and saw nothing more than grand-standing by over-educated but out-of-touch-with-reality lawyers mumbling 'content' or 'challenge'. The court room was filled, air condition was non-existent and pomposity from the bench was rampant.

Made me lose any confidence in the system, which can not honestly be called "justice" system. More like "legal" system.

 

[weaselwords]

Just go to trial by die. Odd numbers guilty, even numbers not guilty. Appeal would be 2 out of the three. Supreme Court would be 4 out of seven.

 

[YukonJack]

Just go to trial by die. Odd numbers guilty, even numbers not guilty. Appeal would be 2 out of the three. Supreme Court would be 4 out of seven.

Actually, one can go to trial by judge, without jury.

That refers to the first four words of the post , above.

The rest is incomprehensible gibberish.

 

[TenPenny]

Actually, one can go to trial by judge, without jury.

That refers to the first four words of the post , above.

The rest is incomprehensible gibberish.

You don't know what a die is?