Jury nullification and 2A rights

[mikey357]

I've served on a Jury in a Civil Action, one for a Criminal Trial, spent a whole quarter on the Grand Jury in Clayton County almost 30 years ago and served on the Jury during a Coroner's Inquest--All were eye-opening experiences in more ways than one...

There were several of us on the Grand Jury when I served who did not believe that just because charges had been brought that there was automatically enough evidence to send the matter to Trial--The ADA's presenting cases to the Grand Jury used to HATE to see me raise my hand to ask a question during a Presentment, as it would become very obvious very quickly if they had not done a thorough job of preparing their Case...

 

[palmettomoon]

I've served on a Jury in a Civil Action, one for a Criminal Trial, spent a whole quarter on the Grand Jury in Clayton County almost 30 years ago and served on the Jury during a Coroner's Inquest--All were eye-opening experiences in more ways than one...

There were several of us on the Grand Jury when I served that did not believe that just because charges had been brought that there was automatically enough evidence to send the matter to Trial--The ADA's presenting cases to the Grand Jury used to HATE to see me raise my hand to ask a question during a Presentment, as it would become very obvious very quickly if they had not done a thorough job of preparing their Case...

Lawyerman an de judge don't like peons aksin' questions......

 

[mikey357]

Lawyerman an de judge don't like peons aksin' questions......

The ADA's sure didn't like it, but the Judge who swore us in before we started our service told us that we should ask if we had any questions and to not ASSUME anything, so...At least a few of us took him at his word!

 

[kuduman]

Something similar when I was on the Grand Jury in Jones County. You just need a plurality or something to indict, not a unanimous vote. So the DA would notice when we were looking around at each other, and save it by saying "Oh yeah, the defendant uses drugs". And the little old ladies would indict, every time.

It really was frightening to see. I've stayed far, far away from the legal system ever since.

Edit: The biggest surprise though was the repeat offender DUIs, that were going to go to jail for long stretches. Some of these guys had DUIs back 30-40 years-- continuously-- and only now were they going to really get some punishments. About half, maybe more, of the cases brought to us that session were repeat DUIs. (And I really don't mean repeat as in "two or three".) We can debate the justice of the DUI laws, but after 20 or 50 of em... you probably don't need to be driving. Hard to argue against _that_.

The laws have probably toughened up a lot since the late 80s though with respect to that.

 

[chucklenut]

ive been called twice to jury duty and got released fast both times

just start an argument about anything with either of the attorneys during voir dire. youre done

 

[Gaffer1968]

ive been called twice to jury duty and got released fast both times

just start an argument about anything with either of the attorneys during voir dire. youre done

Hell, I just tell them I'm a straight up bigot. Works every time..

 

[biker_bill]

ive been called twice to jury duty and got released fast both times

just start an argument about anything with either of the attorneys during voir dire. youre done

They released me because they thought I was being a wise guy.
I was just nervous!

The lawyer shouts, "WHAT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY"!
I said, "February 26th".

He shouts again, "WHAT YEAR"!
Me confused and nervous, "every year sir".

Then they kicked me out. Didn't give me half a chance.

 

[chucklenut]

They released me because they thought I was being a wise guy.
I was just nervous!

The lawyer shouts, "WHAT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY"!
I said, "February 26th".
He shouts again, "WHAT YEAR"!
Me confused and nervous, "every year sir".

Then they kicked me out. Didn't give me half a chance.

i had an discussion like that with an army doctor

"have you noticed blood in your stool?"
"no, mostly just in the toilet"

 

[GodBlessTheUSA]

"Jury Nullification": the very utterance of those two words got me removed from a jury pool faster than lightning. The judge, all four attorneys, the bailiff, all of them jerked their heads around so fast that other pool members thought I'd said the "F" word or something.

I believe that we should sit in juries. Someone intelligent has to do it.

Nope, the jury decides the case on the facts given in evidence, using the law as delivered by the judge.

They way the courts get around it now is to ask if you'll set aside, not only personal beliefs, but also set aside anything and everything and ONLY follow the rules as set by the judge. If the law is the law, you must agree to follow it.

But jury nullification, as set down by John Jay, stated that the facts and the law are both under the "province" of the jury. Twelve good men and true should be able to say "that law is stupid, so the defendant is not guilty of anything."

 

[gh1950]

But jury nullification, as set down by John Jay, stated that the facts and the law are both under the "province" of the jury.

That's what the judge charges the jury in a criminal case in Georgia. It's up to the jury to listen to what he tells them.