Jury bouncy

[notaDUmmie]

Even though it doesn't start with "So...", I think it still qualifies...I'll leave it to the good folks here to decide for themselves.

librechik (26,361 posts)

I was called for jury duty yesterday--consternation ensued


I was chosen with about 50 other people for the first jury selection. The crime was possession of "cocaine" and possession with intent to sell of "cocaine." The defendant was a little old black man whose nervous habits (OCD) and complete misery were obvious to anyone.

The judge went through the list of disqualifications and people left due to not speaking English enough to follow, having a disabled person at home, etc. Finally he asked if there were any other reasons we might need to disqualify and i raised my hand.

They handed me the microphone and I said, "Your honor, It's my belief that the drug laws in this country are wrong, and the penalties fall unequally on minorities. I would be compelled to release this gentleman immediately, perhaps to a healthcare facility."

I heard a gasp around the room. The judge did not expect this, and he stammered a bit before he said, "well of course you are entitled to your opinion. And I'm sure lots of people agree with you. But would your opinion cause you to be unable to make a fair judgement?"

I said "Sir the laws are unfair. If you put me on the jury I would have to vote for acquittal without even looking at the evidence. This man shouldn't be here."

The judge sighed. "Does anyone else in here have the same opinion?" About 20 people raised their hands. They had to ask all of them if they thought they wouldn't be able to give a fair decision based on the law. In the end, I was the only one excused for believing the cocaine laws are unfair to blacks and shouldn't be used to judge an offender.

I hope everyone in the jury box paid attention to me as they make their judgement.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025833539

No way this really happened.

[franksolich]

No way this really happened.

Actually, I myself feel sort of the same way the primitive does.

If I were called for jury duty to decide upon a case of murder, I'd have to disqualify myself.

As long as abortion's the law of the land, I could not in good conscience convict someone of another sort of murder.  Maybe something lesser, with a lesser penalty, such as assault or cruelty, but not for murder.  If murdering an infant's okay, I guess murdering someone else is okay too.

But.....no one has to worry about it, because being deaf, I'm automatically disqualified.

[Carl]

A couple points for originality but they get taken away with no cop jumping out of the jury room or the judge suddenly resigning and putting on a Che T shirt while yelling "power to the people" as he leaves the court house.

[BannedFromDU]

[FlaGator]

So the Op made sure that those left to be chosen had no problem with the drug laws and would have no problem convicting the little old man. Way to go DUer.

[GOBUCKS]

would have no problem convicting the little old man.

The little old man with ten pounds of crack for sale.

[HawkHogan]

Such a tremendous bouncy.   Obviously every court is different, but I've sat in on plenty of jury selections, and it is not the open court process that the movies/Dummy portrays.  One juror at a time is taken back to a room and asked questions to determine if they have can adequately serve on the jury.  Most potential jurors try to get out by claiming that their job won't compensate them.  Jurors are never given a soapbox.  In fact, none of the jurors have any idea how the other jurors answered the questions.

Bouncy notwithstanding, this dummy admits he doesn't give a shit about criminals breaking the law.

[98ZJUSMC]

I hope everyone in the jury box paid attention to me as they make their judgement.

.....because I am so wonderful.   

[98ZJUSMC]

A couple points for originality but they get taken away with no cop jumping out of the jury room or the judge suddenly resigning and putting on a Che T shirt while yelling "power to the people" as he leaves the court house.

   

[Mary Ann]

Such a tremendous bouncy.   Obviously every court is different, but I've sat in on plenty of jury selections, and it is not the open court process that the movies/Dummy portrays.  One juror at a time is taken back to a room and asked questions to determine if they have can adequately serve on the jury.  Most potential jurors try to get out by claiming that their job won't compensate them.  Jurors are never given a soapbox.  In fact, none of the jurors have any idea how the other jurors answered the questions.

Bouncy notwithstanding, this dummy admits he doesn't give a shit about criminals breaking the law.

I served on a jury for the first time in May, and that wasn't the way it was here at all. Everyone was questioned in front of everyone else. I guess if someone had wanted to make a statement they could have. But normal people don't do things like that.

[GOBUCKS]

They handed me the microphone and I said, "Your honor, It's my belief that the drug laws in this country are wrong, and the penalties fall unequally on minorities. I would be compelled to release this gentleman immediately, perhaps to a healthcare facility."

I cannot express how disappointed I am that the rest of the jurors and court spectators didn't break out in spontaneous applause.

In a first-class bouncy they would, and the judge would get all red-faced and spluttering, and adjourn court for the day.

[wasp69]

Tue Nov 18, 2014, 11:19 AM

Star Member librechik (26,392 posts)

I was called for jury duty yesterday

The crime was possession of "cocaine" and possession with intent to sell of "cocaine." The defendant was a little old black man...

The judge went through the list of disqualifications and.. Finally he asked if there were any other reasons we might need to disqualify and i raised my hand.

They handed me the microphone and I said, "Your honor, It's my belief that the drug laws in this country are wrong, and the penalties fall unequally on minorities. I would be compelled to release this gentleman immediately, perhaps to a healthcare facility."

I heard a gasp around the room. The judge did not expect this, and he stammered a bit before he said, "well of course you are entitled to your opinion. And I'm sure lots of people agree with you. But would your opinion cause you to be unable to make a fair judgement?"

I said "Sir the laws are unfair. If you put me on the jury I would have to vote for acquittal without even looking at the evidence. This man shouldn't be here."

The judge sighed. "Does anyone else in here have the same opinion?" About 20 people raised their hands. They had to ask all of them if they thought they wouldn't be able to give a fair decision based on the law. In the end, I was the only one excused for believing the cocaine laws are unfair to blacks and shouldn't be used to judge an offender.

I hope everyone in the jury box paid attention to me as they make their judgement.

Sorry, DUmbass, but real life ain't Law & Order.  The only place this happened was in your drug-addled, Swiss-cheesed brain.

[wasp69]

So the Op made sure that those left to be chosen had no problem with the drug laws and would have no problem convicting the little old man. Way to go DUer.

Funny you should say that, one DUmmie had the same thought:

Response to librechik (Original post)

Tue Nov 18, 2014, 01:28 PM

JayhawkSD (1,543 posts)
92. Very noble, but you crucified the poor guy

You left no one on the jury who might be on his side. You made yourself feel good, and you left a jury which consisted entirely of people who thought the poor bastard should be locked up. Good work.

What you did was sanctimonious, self rightious, merciless, and pitiless. You vacated our system of justice and transformed it into a board of punishment instead.

If you really felt he shouldn't be locked up you should have stayed on the jury and worked to not have him locked up.

But, fear not, our drug loving DUmmie had a crushing rejoinder polished up and ready to go - too bad it's completely wrong.

Response to JayhawkSD (Reply #92)

Tue Nov 18, 2014, 01:41 PM

Star Member librechik (26,392 posts)
95. wrong, I don't feel so good about it. In fact it's pretty nauseating.

but as others have pointed out, that would have been perjury.

Unfortunately, it broke over DUmmie JayhawkSD like water:

Response to JayhawkSD (Reply #92)

Tue Nov 18, 2014, 02:26 PM

Star Member SCantiGOP (2,805 posts)
107. JayhawkSD :

Yours is one of the meaner, more non-constructive posts I've ever seen here. Not sure what you hoped to accomplish.

[ChuckJ]

Actually, I myself feel sort of the same way the primitive does.

If I were called for jury duty to decide upon a case of murder, I'd have to disqualify myself.

As long as abortion's the law of the land, I could not in good conscience convict someone of another sort of murder.  Maybe something lesser, with a lesser penalty, such as assault or cruelty, but not for murder.  If murdering an infant's okay, I guess murdering someone else is okay too.

But.....no one has to worry about it, because being deaf, I'm automatically disqualified.

I agree with you frank. Every time my wife and I see a news story where a mother has been found guilty of murdering her child I tell my wife that the women must have had a piss poor attorney.