Is he guilty?

[buckaroo]

Anyone sit on a jury? I got called for jury poll today and waited almost 7 hours before they called a bunch of us into the court room. After the judge gave his speech as to what to expect, it came time for voi dire. My name was the first to be called to sit on the panel. After another 45 minutes and four dismissals for the prosecutions, the defense okayed everyone. Then there were two alternates that had to be chosen. Finally, they gave opening statements and then we were adjourned. First criminal case for me as I've been on two civil cases in the past. Should be a short one this time. Supposed to rain tomorrow so I'm glad that I'll be inside instead of trodding the streets.

 

[SST55]

Been called but always bounced when they learn of the police background. Was on the stand a number of times as eggspurt for insurance companies.

Lets see,court starts at 9 but the lawyers are in chambers till 10 with the judge, then they start but at 11:45 break for lunch, back at 1 but they're back jabbering in chambers again, start at 1:30 or so then out the door at 3.
No wonder it takes forever to get anything done.

 

[BobbyFord]

I never make past the first lawyer's questioning

 

[Benevolent One]

I was chosen as the alternate juror the only time I was ever called for jury duty. I had to sit and listen to the details of this little girl's train wreck of a situation. Her mom had this guy living in their home and he ended up molesting her. I was sure he did it, but since noone had to be romoved, I was not allowed into final deliberations. According to the juror I exchanged phone numbers with, they decided that be probably did it, but there were a few holdouts and the majority (those who were convinced that he did it), eventually decided that it wasn't worth the time to convict the guy and changed their votes to not guilty.

 

[buckaroo]

Update. We found the perp not guilty, but if we had known what we found out after the verdict, we'd have hung him. Here's the case. This guy was accused of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. We felt that the prosecution didn't do a very good job in presenting the case and only called two witnesses, both police officers...who were both very believable. The defense presented two witnesses, one being a witness for the prosecution (lead investigator). Long story short, we weren't given enough evidence to convince us this guy either knew of the weapon, or whether or not it was impossible for the weapon to be deposited between the time he was arrested and the time of the search warrant, basically 23 hours. The case happened three and a half years ago and that was a question for us as well. Why? Many questions we had were never answered, but then again, many of those questions really didn't pertain to the case, legal wise. After the trial, the judge came in to the jury room to answer questions. Like us, he didn't know anymore than us but we did have a balliff who did have some info on the case that wasn't pertinent. The investigation began when the perp was accused of basically kidnapping. After the initial action by the police, the lead investigator served a year in Afghanistan, then the public defender dropped out, then the top witness for the prosecution died and the kidnapped victim was not considered to be a good witness. This guy is now walking the street probably going to do the same thing again. BTW, his felony charge before this case was kidnapping. It's hard to believe that we, as a jury, have allowed this guy to walk.

 

[ted@economy]

Similar experience. Guy was accused of break,enter,theft . Witnesses saw him break in and run into alley with tv. Cops arrive ,go into the alley,find him with tv. Jury 6 guilty 6 not. Took us hours to convince 6 people that it was beyond a REASONABLE doubt not a shadow of doubt . Found him guilty ,then got to hear the rest of the evidence . There were two of them and the other pleaded guilty . This guy pled not guilty because he had been convicted dozens of times and was going away for a long stretch.

 

[buckaroo]

Sitting on a jury is a totally different experience than watching on TV. This is the third jury I've sat on but the first criminal one. It pains me that the law doesn't allow so much evidence, but I guess after 200 some years, the lawyers have found the best system. Sure does make one wonder how an innocent person can be convicted, but I know it happens.

 

[SST55]

The "perp",,you been watching Law and Order reruns have ya? Looks like another case of the ball being dropped. What is "basically" kidnapping? Has this guy been locked up all this time or out on bail? If there was a question of guilt in this case why would you find him guilty if you knew of the previous case that, yes I'm assuming, as a convicted felon has done his time?

 

[SST55]

Sure does make one wonder how an innocent person can be convicted, but I know it happens.

Convicted? He77 innocent people have been executed. That project innocence has freed over 100 by using DNA, some spent 20 plus years locked up.

 

[buckaroo]

The "perp",,you been watching Law and Order reruns have ya? Looks like another case of the ball being dropped. What is "basically" kidnapping? Has this guy been locked up all this time or out on bail? If there was a question of guilt in this case why would you find him guilty if you knew of the previous case that, yes I'm assuming, as a convicted felon has done his time?

Have you ever sat in the jury box. The evidence that you see and hear is limited to the charges. I have no idea if this guy was incarcerated or not all this time, but my feeling is that he wasn't. We know now that he is a bad guy and has been found guilty of a felony as well as his girlfriend who testified for the defense. We never knew what his felony was, we weren't told why he was arrested, and we didn't know why the trial took so long to be tried. The "bassically" kidnapping was that this guy held a woman for days in his home without her permission. This case was brought forth for the same reason. The victim in this case was held for three days and was allowed to leave to get a shower (no water or electricity in the house she was held, the perp's residence). When she was allowed to leave the house, she went to the next home and called the police. She was the reason for the case to be brought forward. She told the police about the gun. So why wasn't he charged with kidnapping? We asked that question after the trial. The answer was two fold. They didn't think she would be a credible witness and they didn't want her to have to face this guy again. Not good answers to those questions, but that's all we have to go on now. Also, I don't know how much, if any time this guy has served, but we were told that his girlfriend has served time in prison. BTW, I don't watch Law and Order and haven't for well over 15 years. That is a term that I've heard for many years. I wonder if you have never heard that term used outside of a TV show? You hiding under a rock or something?

 

[Magnethead]

I was chosen as the alternate juror the only time I was ever called for jury duty. I had to sit and listen to the details of this little girl's train wreck of a situation. Her mom had this guy living in their home and he ended up molesting her. I was sure he did it, but since noone had to be romoved, I was not allowed into final deliberations. According to the juror I exchanged phone numbers with, they decided that be probably did it, but there were a few holdouts and the majority (those who were convinced that he did it), eventually decided that it wasn't worth the time to convict the guy and changed their votes to not guilty.

 

[SST55]

It's hard to believe that we, as a jury, have allowed this guy to walk.

Why? Didn't you base your decision on the facts and evidence presented? If his prior conviction had any bearing on this case it would have/should have been brought up. It wasn't. You yourself said the prosecution didn't do a very good job presenting the case, so now in hindsight you want to bring in a prior act, one he's done his time for, and pile that on and convict in this case? Doesn't work that way.

While I've never been in the jury box I've been in court many,many times representing various insurance companies and in my own med malpractice suit that took almost ten years to settle. So I haven't been under a rock, I have a vague idea how the courts work. One day in the jury box doesn't make you a lawyer.

 

[buckaroo]

One day in the jury box doesn't make you a lawyer.

Two days paisano. What you might not understand is that while you were sitting in the audience, or waiting to be a witness, the jury might not, and probably doesn't hear what you have heard. This is the second time sitting on a jury that I wish that I had known what the law wouldn't let us know. There is one thing that bothers me. If this case had been tried without the legal problems, I doubt this guy would have walked. Now, with my decision helping, this guy could end up doing the same thing for the third time and if someone ends up dead, you can bet your butt that I'm going to wonder if it could have been prevented. Remember, this is the second time this guy did this and he is a bad guy. Will I blame the legal system? Of course, but no matter what, I will always wonder if I could have helped to prevent another violent action from this guy. BTW, his prior conviction and actions were attempted to be brought up, but the defense objected and was granted. Our legal system is based to protect the innocent, but there are times when that law protects the guilty. Maybe this guy will never repeat this crime, maybe he will change his ways, maybe, maybe, maybe. No matter what, I will always wonder what could have been prevented if. But of course, there are many people who have gone through this in the past. This just happens to be the second time for me.

It's so easy for those who only read or see the news in a criminal case and just as we have witnessed in the past with the high profile cases, there are so many people who will find fault with a jury who finds a person found not guilty of a horrible crime, i.e. OJ Simpson, Casey Anthony et. al. at fault. If this guy is killed in a drug deal gone bad, you can bet your bippy that it won't bother me.