Yay, I think NSC should DECIDE, that would save the taxpayer a fortune (although I suspect that hanging may be reintroduced for some.
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Jury Service
- Thread starter Rugrat
- Start date
Yay, I think NSC should DECIDE, that would save the taxpayer a fortune (although I suspect that hanging may be reintroduced for some.
cheshunt seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 5, 2003
- 2,498
I had a 6-week corporate fraud case at the Old Bailey in 1986; a lot more interesting than you might expect. My daughter was called at St Albans 2 years ago and had a 8-day child sex abuse case which was tougher. My main memory was the level of stupidity of some of my fellow jurors and how they seemed totally ready to believe anything that someone in authority said without question; maybe I was unlucky.
Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
It's totally random, selected from the electoral role.
I've done it twice, a mate has just been called for a third time.
O
My experience exactly. I did a ten day trial at Winchester Crown Court - three young men (early 20's) accused of kicking seven bells out of two other (random) lads, at the end of a big night out in Basingstoke.
The three accused were fairly obviously guilty, from the evidence presented to us, but the judge was pushing for a unanimous verdict, and there was one nice middle aged lady on the jury, who just could not see past their newly bought smart Marks and Spencer suits, and glowing character references from old teachers and suchlike.
Took two full days locked in the Jury Room to bring her round.
They are clearly guilty
I agree
Ok. That's decided then
Yes but what if they didn't do it?
You agreed they were guilty
Yes, but what if...
My experience exactly. I did a ten day trial at Winchester Crown Court - three young men (early 20's) accused of kicking seven bells out of two other (random) lads, at the end of a big night out in Basingstoke.
The three accused were fairly obviously guilty, from the evidence presented to us, but the judge was pushing for a unanimous verdict, and there was one nice middle aged lady on the jury, who just could not see past their newly bought smart Marks and Spencer suits, and glowing character references from old teachers and suchlike.
Took two full days locked in the Jury Room to bring her round.
They are clearly guilty
I agree
Ok. That's decided then
Yes but what if they didn't do it?
You agreed they were guilty
Yes, but what if...
pasty
A different kind of pasty
I've been called twice, but never done it! I got called but my boss at the time didn't want to let me off work because of something I was working on and he got it deferred. When the second call came after the deferral, I had a pre-booked foreign holiday for the same period, so that got deferred as well, but I never got another call.
- Jul 10, 2003
- 25,893
SOME ? Bloody namby pamby liberals
I did a two week GBH gangfight a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately it was just after I left the service of some major well-paying corporates and had set up my own company so the timing could have been better in terms of getting paid
I hope you weren't paying yourself via a dividend!
Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
Similar with one of mine.
We went round the room, guilty or not guilty, 11 guilty 1 not guilty.
I was the one, I explained why and reiterated what the Judge had instructed us "It is your job to decide on the evidence presented discounting any emotion you may have, only the facts"
10 minutes later we were 6-6.
- Jul 10, 2003
- 25,893
When working for said corporates I always took a PAYE salary and paid top rate of tax because I have principles and pay my dues
The majority of my associates did not
Have experienced it once. Most of the time spent playing Jenga and reading the paper. Fellow jurors more preoccupied with claiming their lunchtime allowance than being part of the judicial process.
One case, car theft, in which the prosecution presented very poorly. We were moved from one court in Manchester to another at the last minute and transported in one of those blacked out minibuses.
Went into the jury room, and had to pick a foreman. Everyone looked at me because "You read out the oath best" which is a frightening indictment of how decisions are made.
One of the jurors wanted to play the role of Cary Grant, but I managed to stop him and asked everyone to give a show of hands for guilty or not guilty. Unanimous not guilty verdict so we trailed into the court and made the announcement.
Left the court, hopped onto a tram home and was nicked as I'd forgotten we'd moved court so my ticket was invalid!
One case, car theft, in which the prosecution presented very poorly. We were moved from one court in Manchester to another at the last minute and transported in one of those blacked out minibuses.
Went into the jury room, and had to pick a foreman. Everyone looked at me because "You read out the oath best" which is a frightening indictment of how decisions are made.
One of the jurors wanted to play the role of Cary Grant, but I managed to stop him and asked everyone to give a show of hands for guilty or not guilty. Unanimous not guilty verdict so we trailed into the court and made the announcement.
Left the court, hopped onto a tram home and was nicked as I'd forgotten we'd moved court so my ticket was invalid!
When working for said corporates I always took a PAYE salary and paid top rate of tax because I have principles and pay my dues
The majority of my associates did not
Fair play to you W Z!
KZNSeagull
Well-known member
I did it in Lewes for 2 weeks ages ago. Spent most of the time in the Jury room or at home. Got called to a trial one afternoon, having had a nice lunch in the pub opposite the courtroom, only to find that the person on trial was at the next table to us in the pub at lunchtime! As he didn't buy a round, we found him guilty. Actually I made that bit up, but he was guilty though.
Not Andy Naylor
Well-known member
I did it at Brighton about five years ago. The most frustrating thing was that I wanted to ask questions, but the defence briefs were probably not asking the same questions for a very good reason, and the prosecutor didn't seem to care either way.
What did worry me was that one of my fellow jurors was all for finding one of the defendants guilty because he'd given him a dirty look as they passed on the court steps and he thought he 'looked guilty'. Not exactly the basis for a reasoned decision. I was getting ready to play the Henry Fonda role from Twelve Angry Men when the judge threw the case out.
What did worry me was that one of my fellow jurors was all for finding one of the defendants guilty because he'd given him a dirty look as they passed on the court steps and he thought he 'looked guilty'. Not exactly the basis for a reasoned decision. I was getting ready to play the Henry Fonda role from Twelve Angry Men when the judge threw the case out.
Got a 10 week case when I was called up. Found it fascinating and scary all at once. Seeing how prejudiced some of the other jurors were 'because they didn't like the look' of one of the defendants, and how they made up their mind within a few days of the 10 weeks and didn't budge one iota for the rest of the case. As well as some people taking the opposite stance and no matter what the evidence was, they would in no way vote guilty 'just in case they were wrong'. Did make me question the validity of the whole process somewhat.
Withdean11
Well-known member
I did it in Hove. Had two cases and was there for just under the two weeks. Fairly straight forward cases which both had obvious outcomes. Although the first defendents parents did not like the guilty verdict and proceeded to threaten us - we had to be ecsorted out the back door and up to the train station by the police. Made us feel even more confident our verdict was correct was parents like that.
Oh and just as the defendent was taken out he stood up, looked at us and stated that he 'would remember us'.
Oh and just as the defendent was taken out he stood up, looked at us and stated that he 'would remember us'.
desprateseagull
New member
I was called up a few years ago, shortly after starting a new job (coincidence?..). Got a postponement for a few months.
As lived quite close to the court, only got £19 total expenses, to cover lunches. Spent two weeks doing puzzles, reading books etc, waiting for selection- almost got into one trial (did the swearing in), but that was called off overnight.
Employer paid full wages.
As lived quite close to the court, only got £19 total expenses, to cover lunches. Spent two weeks doing puzzles, reading books etc, waiting for selection- almost got into one trial (did the swearing in), but that was called off overnight.
Employer paid full wages.
That's fine - in this case, the evidence against them WAS overwhelming.
She accepted that, but was still "Yes, but what if, we're wrong".
She looked visibly relieved, after the guilty verdict was delivered, when the judge read out each defendant's VERY long list of previous convictions, for ABH, GBH, and similar.
Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
Funny thing is, or not funny at all actually, I think he was guilty. The prosecution just failed to prove it.