When you get the notice, Serve your Jury Duty

[NightWatcher]

It's a lot more effective than sending an email or signing a toothless petition after the fact.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I always serve.

I have yet to serve on a criminal case, however...

I am always removed, and never for cause.

I still go and serve where I'm allowed.

[SharonAnn]

27. I always serve, too. Last time I was selected for the Grand Jury. Interesting!

[NaturalHigh]

2. It wouldn't matter for me in a death penalty case.

I would tell the prosecutor that I wouldn't personally be willing to sentence anyone to death, so I would automatically be disqualified.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Logical]

9. I have no problem with this!

[Luminous Animal]

12. Really? Lie? One by one on random chance we get on death penalty cases and we lie?

Not only do we abandon the civil contract and lie when we've given an oath not to but we've adapted a random strategy that might be successful in 20,000 years.

[NaturalHigh]

20. No, not going to do that either.

[Horse with no Name]

21. It is the only way to even out the odds. n/t

[Kennah]

10. If it's not a death penalty case, NEVER reveal that.

If you're asked a direct question, that's something else. However, I can't imagine the Prosecutor or Defense Counsel asking about the Death Penalty when it's not a Death Penalty case. If some dipshit in the jury pool starts talking about the Death Penalty, don't be tempted to chime in about it.

[Luminous Animal]

15. Have you ever been in a jury pool? They never ask that question unless it is a possible

death penalty case.

[Kennah]

39. Yes, I have been in a jury pool

Was actually just talking about my experience here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1981549&mesg_id=1981549

There were no questions on the questionnaire about the Death Penalty, but I do remember someone in the jury pool bringing up the Death Penalty, for some weird reason, and then adding that they were opposed to it. Several people bought up Double Jeopardy as well, when the question was not being asked, which I think flagged them for getting bounced off by the prosecution.

[NaturalHigh]

18. That's why I spefically said "in a death penalty case".

No, I can't imagine being asked about the death penalty if it were not on the table.

[DinahMoeHum]

3. Just got through with mine. . .last week.

I won't be summoned again until 6 years from now.

[Luminous Animal]

5. Well, no. When I reached the interview stage of a possible death penalty case...

I was dismissed when I honestly answered that I was against the death penalty in any circumstance.

A better solution is to COLLECTIVELY organize to ABOLISH the death penalty.

[Pithlet]

6. Regarding death penalty cases, it won't help, unless you lie.

They'll boot you right off if you're against the death penalty. That certainly doesn't help the defendants, either. They already have the odds stacked against them, having a jury stacked with those who are pro-dp right off the bat. It's a sham.

[gateley]

7. Some of the jurors said they would have delivered a different

verdict had they known then what they know now.

[Pithlet]

11. Yeah, well, they didn't.

I don't feel a bit sorry for them now. Hope they choke on that guilt the rest of their lives.

[pintobean]

16. Holy fuck

You weren't there when they served. How can you possibly judge them?

[Pithlet]

19. I have no problem.

It's one thing to be for the death penalty. It's quite another to actually actively participate in the system with that belief and send someone to their death. Yep. I judge.

[pintobean]

23. They did their duty.

It's really fucked up to blame them.

[Pithlet]

25. Nothing fucked up about it.

It isn't doing your duty to send a possible innocent to their death.

[gateley]

22. Yeah, even before the witnesses changed their story -- no weapon?

The ONLY thing they had was the testimony of these people so it just baffles me that when 7 of 9 recanted, they allowed this to stand.

[JVS]

30. So they should have seen into the future and predicted testimony being recanted?

I would say that their culpability ends with the boundaries of their knowledge of the case. It's the responsibility of the other participants of the trial to provide information to the jury.

[Pithlet]

31. Or, how about, not be on a death penalty jury.

I don't buy this crap about duty. No, you don't have to be a cog in the system that wants to systematically kill people who may possibly be innocent and they don't care (look up SCOTUS ruling on this if you don't believe me). No, you don't have to participate in a system as a participant that actively makes the decision when they t may not even make you privy to all the knowledge of the case, as frequently happens. You don't have to make the decision to send someone to their death and then find out later some info that makes you regret. And if that happens, I won't feel sorry for you. I don't care if anyone thinks that's harsh. The death penalty needs to go. I'd like to know why I should feel sorry for anyone who actively participates in it and then regrets it? Sorry. Not going to.

[JVS]

32. Ok, that seems fair enough.

[pintobean]

34. Only if you throw reason and common sense out the window.

You were spot on in post #30.

[Pithlet]

35. Show me the flaws in my reasoning.

Why should I, someone who's against the death penalty, feel sorry for anyone who willingly serves on a death penalty case and later regrets it? What is so reasonable about telling me that I have to feel sorry for them, exactly? If my position is it is immoral and unethical. what is logical about that, exactly?

[JVS]

36. Nah, they did go in there knowing that the possibility they'd be bullshitted existed.

And they did all say that they'd be ok with sentencing someone to death even with that possibility.

[RaleighNCDUer]

37. If people who oppose the DP opt out, that leaves juries stacked

with people who FAVOR the DP.

So, how does refusing to serve help?

[Pithlet]

38. We don't have a choice. Lying can get you in big trouble.

Especially now with the internet it would be might risky for anyone to try. For example, I've spouted my opinion all over the place. I'm sure they'd catch me out. I've heard they check things like that now.

[bluestateguy]

8. I'll tell you this

I will not vote to convict someone in a non-violent drug possession case.

Jury nullification is a positive and healthy thing for democracy.

[Kennah]

13. I won't disagree with you, but NEVER talk about jury nullification to judges or prosecutors.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

14. I've gotten jury duty twice

Both times I called the night before and was informed that my group would not be needed.

As much of a pain in the ass as it would be, I would rather serve on a jury than allow some teabagger who's just itching to put someone away do it. Unfortunately I'm strongly opposed to the death penalty, so I'd never have made it onto Troy Davis' jury...

[Luminous Animal]

17. I get called about every year and a half. Mostly I am informed that my group is not needed.

About once every 5 years that I make it to the jury interview and I am dismissed. Pretty much, I am reluctant to convict any one.

[NaturalHigh]

28. I've never been called.

Amazing considering that I've lived in this county most of my life. I would think that the odds favored me being called up at least once. Almost everyone I know has been.

[mnhtnbb]

24. I served on an all white jury in Missouri--defendant was African American--

and 3 of us turned the jury from our first vote of 9 guilty 3 not guilty to 12 not guilty.

I will never forget the look on the face of the white stabbing victim--who was in court when the verdict was read--
he couldn't believe we hadn't convicted. We all agreed that, yes, the defendant had stabbed the victim, but
we believed it was done in self defense.

This was 20 some years ago. I've often wondered what happened to the defendant--whether he cleaned up his act
and the people he was associating with--and whether he recognized how lucky he was to have the system work
for him in that southern town.

[Kennah]

40. That's about as close to 12 Angry Men as one get

[uncle ray]

26. i'm serving on a felony case right now.

of course i can't say anything, but it's quite an array of heinous charges. i was as thrilled as one could be to be selected, all things considered. i suspect what got me selected was that i maintained eye contact with the questioner(s) the entire time they were speaking. it's interesting, to say the least, to watch and participate in the process.

[Zax2me]

29. As a progressive death penalty supporter, I always do. n/a

[RaleighNCDUer]

41. There is nothing progressive about supportinjg the death penalty.

You are aware that Japan and the US are the only 1st world nations that still execute people? That we are keeping company with such progressive nations as Iran, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia?

[Kennah]

42. Even before I was opposed to the DP, I don't know that I was ever a DP supporter

I used to see it as a necessary part of our judicial system--ultimate justice for ultimate crimes--but not anymore.

Friend of mine lent me his copy of "Ultimate Punishment" by Scott Turow, and that started my drift towards opposing the DP.
http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/031242373X

Reading the Cameron Todd Willingham article in the New Yorker two years ago turned me off the DP forever.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_grann

Give them a read.

[ashling]

33. I am going to serve in Johnston County

next month. I got the notice the other day and signed up online.

I don't practice law anymore so I did not put that on there as my occupation.

[ThoughtCriminal]

43. I did - In a case with some similarities

Attempted murder. Victim never saw attacker, no weapon found. One eyewitness - who everybody on the jury (including myself) believed. We were not expecting CSI, but it really was sloppy police work. The public defender was clearly inexperienced and there were no defense witnesses. The defendant was a "Scary looking" guy who did not, as far I observed, show the even slightest emotion during the trial.

The jury was split - half to convict, the rest just could not accept that a single eyewitness was sufficient. I talked until I was hoarse about why, no matter how credible the witness seemed, it was not enough to send a person to prison for many years.

After many hours of deliberation, only one juror was holding out to convict and we could not persuade him - he wanted a mistrial so that the state could try again and, he hoped do a better job.

I never found out if there was another trial. I didn't try to find out. Needless to say, I have had worried that very dangerous person might have walked, but I would have lost a lot more sleep over the other possibility.

[RebelOne]

44. I have served three times. Twice in Miami and once here in Georgia. n/t