jury duty

[0leman]

Since I have been old enough to serve on a Jury, I have only been called once in over 50 years.   I have lived in 7 different states/towns since I left home, worked for the US gov.    It was when I lived in Wyoming.  Went thru the jury selection, they weeded us down to about 20 folks after a bit.  Then, decided I wasn't the one the wanted on the jury.  I was never asked a question.  I knew the guy was guilty. 

My wife has been on 14 juries over the years, been on three since we move here in 2010.  Some folks are more lucky.

You knew he was guilty without hearing a word ?

At that time I was pretty heavy into Martial Arts.  Could pick up vibes from folks, he was putting off some serious bad vibes.   Not a nice person.  I know that is not a good reason for thinking he was guilty, but the selected jury said he was and he got 10 years.    Just saying.

[solo1]

I am less familiar with the response in federal court than state court, but I can explain a very ironical aspect of this "rule" in Indiana state court.  PM or email me (my forum name at yahoo) if you are interested.  Quote by Vanogon 40.

It seems to me that the jury should've been instructed that they couldn't ask the judge once the trial started.  It happened so long ago, I don't remember.  It left me with the attitude that justice grinds slowly but not exceedingly well.  At any rate I no longer would choose to serve.

[G-Man]

Since I have been old enough to serve on a Jury, I have only been called once in over 50 years.   I have lived in 7 different states/towns since I left home, worked for the US gov.    It was when I lived in Wyoming.  Went thru the jury selection, they weeded us down to about 20 folks after a bit.  Then, decided I wasn't the one the wanted on the jury.  I was never asked a question.  I knew the guy was guilty. 

My wife has been on 14 juries over the years, been on three since we move here in 2010.  Some folks are more lucky.

You knew he was guilty without hearing a word ?

At that time I was pretty heavy into Martial Arts.  Could pick up vibes from folks, he was putting off some serious bad vibes.   Not a nice person.  I know that is not a good reason for thinking he was guilty, but the selected jury said he was and he got 10 years.    Just saying.

Vibes?

Oy vey!    

[Jess from VA]

I am less familiar with the response in federal court than state court, but I can explain a very ironical aspect of this "rule" in Indiana state court.  PM or email me (my forum name at yahoo) if you are interested.  Quote by Vanogon 40.

It seems to me that the jury should've been instructed that they couldn't ask the judge once the trial started.  It happened so long ago, I don't remember.  It left me with the attitude that justice grinds slowly but not exceedingly well.  At any rate I no longer would choose to serve.

I'd never heard of this Indiana rule.  I spent a year as bailiff/law clerk for a chief Circuit (trial) judge in MI right out of school, and sat worked through every jury trial that year.  Despite the Judge's and counsel's best efforts, the jurors routinely had questions (I had to ferry them out of the jury room to the judge), and after discussing (some of) them with counsel out of the jury's hearing, the judge did his best to answer all of them.  Sometimes they got into problem or prohibited areas, and then he would tell them he could not answer and apologize. 

And after trial, the judge always went out of his way to profusely thank the jurors for their service, and apologize for the inconvenience.  He was a hanging judge of the first order, but he was loved in the county.  He had been the chief county prosecutor for 20+ years (and the president of the MI state prosecuting attorneys association) before he ran for judge. 

It was widely believed that the majority of serious felons that lived in this mildly populated county moved out of the county as a result of his good work.  Hard to complain about that.

[musclehead]

ok trial over, they plea bargained the hell out of it. I know that has a stigma attached to it but it saves us the tax payers huge amount of money according to the judge.

the charges: three counts of capital sexual battery, rape in other words, with a child of less then 12 years. the judge didn't tell us before but yesterday morning he explained that if found guilty of any one count he would have no choice but to give a life sentence. the plea deal left him guilty of two counts of child abuse without harm (the judge explained that the girl was fine and just a typical 6 year old) and the sentence was going to be one year probation. the prosecution's case was not very strong, we got that impression from the defense attorney on Monday.

the judge also told us thanks for showing up, he has judges in other unnamed counties and they can't hardly get anyone to show up for jury duty he also said because we showed up and ready to go it motivated the attorney's to get together on an agreement. he also said because we participated and we ready to go it saved the state a LOT of money, because now they can move onto other cases.

we were sitting around in the jury room and were told that they (the bailiff's) would notify us 10 minutes before court time (9:00). we had an engineer from the county water treatment department on our jury so we were having an interesting discussion of various projects and I noticed it was getting very late 9:30 or so but didn't mention it to my other jurors.

then the judge came in at 9:35 and thank us and explained the plea bargain deal and how he is required to accept a deal right up until the point that the jury has rendered a decision. we discussed a few more things and then I went home and cleared some brush relieved I wouldn't have to hear testimony from a 6 yr old.

[musclehead]

when I was a young man I heard that if you're guilty you want a jury trial, all you need is one sympathetic ear. if you were falsely accused you want a trial by judge, a judge can weigh through the evidence and find reasonable doubt pretty dog gone quick.

While this may often be true, there are any number of judges who deserve the handle of MAXIMUM BOB (see the great novel by Elmore Leonard).  If you find yourself before Maximum Bob, you may be better off with a jury.  I have no problem with harsh sentences given to violent felons, but going judge alone with the wrong judge can be a big mistake.

Judge Roy Bean.