I'm jealous.

Post #267,589 by static 9/14/06 11:24:01 PM Reply	I'm jealous. I got called up for Jury Duty a few weeks ago, even got empanelled and the trial began. Unfortunately, one of the witnesses fell ill - the officer of the court said it was the defendant - and the trial had to be aborted. :-( For the interested, it was a sexual assault trial between a separated wife and husband. We'd heard one detectives evidence and the plaintiff (the wife) was undergoing cross-examination when the trial was aborted. There were enough question marks in court that nearly everyone in the jury was prepared, on the evidence we did see, to believe she set him up. I'd do Jury Duty again. It was a fascinating, if incomplete experience. Wade. "Insert crowbar. Apply force."
Post #267,605 by tuberculosis 9/15/06 12:38:27 AM Reply	I found it thoroughly frustrating as I was on an armed robbery case, we had (pretty poor) video, and one juror who stubbornly refused to convict because one witness said "I'm 99% sure that's the man" and 99 wasn't good enough for her. [link\|http://www.blackbagops.net\|Black Bag Operations Log] [link\|http://www.objectiveclips.com\|Artificial Intelligence] [link\|http://www.badpage.info/seaside/html\|Scrutinizer]
Post #267,636 by rcareaga 9/15/06 10:10:32 AM Reply	unclear on the "reasonable doubt" standard Our kindly, avuncular judge was at some pains to emphasize both that this was a significant bar for the prosecution to clear, and that "reasonable doubt" was distinct and, indeed, at some distance from "beyond the shadow of a doubt." All of us believed that P had been wrongly jumped by the police, and most of us were, I think, on that basis reluctant to see that official incompetence as it were vindicated by a conviction, but the room explicitly recognized this emotional bias, and worked hard to set it aside. In a way it was almost as though we were conscientiously applying a kind of "reasonable doubt" standard to our reservations about the prosecution's case. I think "the People" got their money's worth from a forceful and articulate advocate, and that the jury gave him a respectful and considered hearing. Notwithstanding the sundry inconveniences, I found it an edifying five days. cordially, Die Welt ist alles, was der Fall ist.
Post #267,700 by boxley 9/15/06 9:16:39 PM Reply	was the eyewitness the only physical evidence of the defendants presence at the scene? No fingerprints, hair, fibres? I would also hesitate to convict on only eyewitness testimony unless the defendant was previosly known to the witness. Eyewitnesses are notoriously wrong. thanx, bill Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
Post #267,727 by tuberculosis 9/16/06 1:47:03 AM Reply	We had 3 separate eyewitnesses from 2 separate robberies - one a dress shop owner, we only had her verbal testimony - she was the 99% sure woman. Second 2 were K-mart (or Target or something) clerks, guy robbed film counter - we had some pretty grainy video that looked reasonably like him, wearing a particular style of Rockies T-Shirt. Clerk's testimony, plus same shirt found in trunk of car at time of arrest, and small handgun. Perp did not testify in his own behalf. We later learned that the "back brace" he seemed to have on under an oversized work shirt was in fact a remote controlled taser belt as he had threatend to kill everyone in the court room including his public defender numerous times. Two different deputies were within arms length with separate remotes. Post failed trial, prosecutor indicated that perp would be heading over the Jefferson County where he is wanted on half a dozen similar escapades and it was hoped they would have better luck with convictions. Naturally, none of this was shared with the jury during the trial so as not to prejudice us against an individual who routinely makes death threats. Definitely he was guilty. [link\|http://www.blackbagops.net\|Black Bag Operations Log] [link\|http://www.objectiveclips.com\|Artificial Intelligence] [link\|http://www.badpage.info/seaside/html\|Scrutinizer]

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