My thoughts about jury duty questions.

[Paper Roses]

I'm an old timer and have been called for jury duty many times during the years during which I was called. Every time I was called and met with the pool, I was asked by the judge, along with others:

"Would you tend to believe the police over the defendant". I always answered that I would tend to believe the police.

I had the belief that the police were protectors of the people, that they were charged with the responsibility to tell the truth.
In my old age, I have begun to wonder.........

[Shrike47]

1. I practiced criminal law for many years. Some cops lie all the time.

I've been warned in some places that everybody knows certain cops lie so not to use them as witnesses in my cases. Other times, I've watched them commit perjury without blinking an eye.

Not all cops lie, of course, but not all cops tell the truth, either. Like people.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. I have washed out the last two times by saying "it depends" to that query

and also to saying I believe prisons should combine rehabilitation with punishment.

[Maedhros]

3. I was in a jury years ago for a methamphetamine possession case.

It was patently obvious that the police set up the defendant:

1. Police report said the drugs were found in suspect's vehicle, officers testified they found it in his apartment.
2. Police pulled over the suspect, arrested him, took him to a 7-11 parking lot for over an hour, then took him back to his apartment where they then found drugs.
3. Drugs were checked into evidence locker A by the arresting officers, lab took drugs out of evidence locker B (goodby, chain of custody...)
4. One officer testified that the drugs were sitting in plain sight on the suspect's dresser, another testified that he searched the room and found no drugs.

We were a hung jury for some time because one of the members - a college student from a local university - kept insisting that the defendant was a "scumbag" and that there was "no reason for the police to lie."

We eventually talked her over to our side, but she didn't like it. I had the impression that she only agreed so that she could go home.

Convicting people because you think they are a scumbag. Welcome to 21st Century America.

[giftedgirl77]

4. I just had jury duty last week & wasn't asked that question.

I'm also a paralegal by trade & served as one in the military until I retired. I was damn sure they were going to bump me, but they sat me & not surprisingly I ended up being the foreperson as well.

[cwydro]

5. The last jury I was called for, I answered that

question with a no.

I still got picked.

Ended up a hung jury with one other woman and I refusing to say the guy was guilty.

[Raine1967]

6. I have never gotten that far.

but I truly believe in my heart that I would answer that I would reserve the right to be an impartial juror and look at all the evidence presented.