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 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
Sometimes juries do stupid things. I recall an account of a mistrial after a jury using a ouija board to contact a dead victim when attempting to reach a verdict.

Did it work?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/retrial-order-in-ouija-case-1444806.html

It ended in a mistrial so we'll never know

So the Jury had to fill a form out and present it? Is that common in the States? When I did jury service in the UK we just came back into the room and the foreman of the jury just stood up and stated the verdict.

It seems odd to me that in the case of genuine human error (the wrong form being filled in) the mistake has to stand. Why exactly can't it be corrected? If it was the other way round and the Jury accidentally signed the Guilty form for a person they intended to acquit would the guilty verdict also have to stand? That's just crazy.

If a "Guilty" verdict was handed in by mistake there would be the chance of an appeal to get it corrected. However under "double jeopardy" rules someone cannot be tried again for the same crime once found Not Guilty.

The issue is not having a third form for the jury to officially tell the court that they were deadlocked and unable to reach a verdict. Perhaps it was assumed they would tell the judge that by a note. When I did jury service (also in the UK) we communicated with the judge by notes.

It seems to have been a fairly stupid jury.

 LuciusAR wrote:
So the Jury had to fill a form out and present it? Is that common in the States? When I did jury service in the UK we just came back into the room and the foreman of the jury just stood up and stated the verdict.

It seems odd to me that in the case of genuine human error (the wrong form being filled in) the mistake has to stand. Why exactly can't it be corrected? If it was the other way round and the Jury accidentally signed the Guilty form for a person they intended to acquit would the guilty verdict also have to stand? That's just crazy.

The excuse is garbage. The jury could have sent a query back to the judge at any time and they knew it. Either this jury is so full of absolute uncaring mouthbreathers, or they're lying.

While the uncaring mouthbreather factor is really high, statistically its not high enough.

All suffer from "Brain Farts"

 Orlanth wrote:

I have no sympathy, burglary doesn't demand death, but crime merits destruction.

Are you claiming that crime should be destroyed, or that criminals should be?

 dogma wrote:

 Orlanth wrote:

I have no sympathy, burglary doesn't demand death, but crime merits destruction.

Are you claiming that crime should be destroyed, or that criminals should be?

All the Above

 Goliath wrote:

 sarpedons-right-hand wrote:
Karma anyone?

Because failing to burglarize someone's house means that you deserve to die? Seriously?

Sounds like you're...oh feth it, I can't be bothered.

This verdict is written on a cocktail napkin.

And it still says "guilty."

And "guilty" is spelled wrong!

 Orlanth wrote:
Who wins here? Homeowners, no parole from this one.

I have no sympathy, burglary doesn't demand death, but crime merits destruction. Hang out with criminal scum and live the criminal life and you risk chance you die a criminal death. While anyone can be a stabbing victim, the vast majority are scum-on-scum. He should have kept better company, he should have chosen a better life.

To be fair, IIRC the dude went over to his sister's place after being released to pick stuff up, it's not like he went to a gang house. Just happened to get into it with the boyfriend

 Jihadin wrote:

 dogma wrote:

 Orlanth wrote:

I have no sympathy, burglary doesn't demand death, but crime merits destruction.

Are you claiming that crime should be destroyed, or that criminals should be?

All the Above

Neither, instead saying that some crime doesnt pay. Some crime pays very well and you can get away with it, but those sorts of crimes require association with a major bank.

Street crime, drug crime etc they all can lead to shortened lives. No tears shed when they are ended.