Hung Jury?!?!?!

[BTE]

If the Scott Peterson trial ends in a hung jury........

Clickity Click here to read the article.

Someone better fry his arse!

[mAlice (Premo)]

Anyone know the statistics on this? I heard that when a case is re-tried due to a hung jury that the second trial will typically result in a guilty verdict.

I am hoping that this is just the fact that they do have a whole lot of evidence to review and discuss, and that this will not get dragged out any longer than it has already been for the family.

[Penn]

How would you like to be an alternate juror on the Laci Peterson case?

Is that trial proceeding messed up, or what?

They booted one of the jurors off the panel because she aparently went on the internet to do some of her own research of the case.

It seems the only information you can use is what was presented at the trial.

I didn't know that myself.

[kwillia]

Originally Posted by Penn

I didn't know that myself.

They are very particular as to what is allowed in the courtroom, why would anyone even remotely consider it to be okay to do ones own research...

[happyappygirl (Premo)]

Penn writes: It seems the only information you can use is what was presented at the trial.


The pretrial instructions tell you this don't they?
Oh gee if it's on the internet it must be true.....are they sequestered? (sorry no spell check in quick reply)

[Penn]

Originally Posted by happyappygirl

Penn writes: It seems the only information you can use is what was presented at the trial.


The pretrial instructions tell you this don't they?
Oh gee if it's on the internet it must be true.....are they sequestered? (sorry no spell check in quick reply)

Well, this is going to make some people go: Really??

But, the truth is I've never been called for jury duty, have never watched a pre-trial proceeding, so I'm not up on the rules that they issue for proper trial conduct.

What can I say?

[Ken King (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Penn

What can I say?

Usually too much.

[Larry Gude (Premo)]

...that trials that go on this long are insane?

I mean, what kind of people do you get on a jury where they can afford to have their lives stop indefintely? Certainly not his peers.

He offed the wife and kid so he could get on with the party. How can he be judged by people who have nothing better to do?

Is there, really, any reason why a murder case should not be tried in, say, a month from arrest? Tops?

[Ken King (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Larry Gude

...that trials that go on this long are insane?

I think the amount spent will be what it will be. The prosecution could have a ton of evidence and it needs to be presented and then the defense gets their turn at the plate. The amount of time spent means nothing to me.

I mean, what kind of people do you get on a jury where they can afford to have their lives stop indefintely? Certainly not his peers.

Me. I get court leave. Hoping one day to have my shot on a jury.

He offed the wife and kid so he could get on with the party. How can he be judged by people who have nothing better to do?

Allegedly, it hasn’t become a fact of law yet. As to the people deciding if he is convicted or acquitted they might have better things to do but they decided to perform their civic duty.

Is there, really, any reason why a murder case should not be tried in, say, a month from arrest? Tops?

Limited courts, limited judges, availability of expert witnesses, all sorts of scheduling headaches and legal maneuvering to get the best shot at winning by each side. Also a rush to get the trial rolling could result in missing key information or evidence that could help or hinder either side’s case. And once the docket is set should a capital crime bump other less heinous crimes just to meet this arbitrary time restraint?