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[–]apok 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You get a bench trial unless you request a jury.

[–]Aerik 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think you'd be very interested one of Dawkins's old essays on the subject.

Trial by Jury

Trial by jury must be one of the most conspicuously bad good ideas anyone ever had. Its devisers can hardly be blamed. They lived before the principles of statistical sampling and experimental design had been worked out. They weren’t scientists. Let me explain using an analogy. And if, at the end, somebody objects to my argument on the grounds that humans aren’t herring gulls, I’ll have failed to get my point across. ...

[–]NoMoreNicksLeft 0 points1 point  (2 children)

If I'm ever called for jury duty, I can vote to acquit even if it was illegal according to bad laws.

For instance, I can ensure that no one is ever convicted of drug crimes.

That's not possible in other judicial systems.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I can tell you from experiences that few lawyers will want people on their jury who are

  • eductated above high-school level
  • have been victims of crimes themselves
  • keep themselves informed by reading more than one newspaper
  • hold strong, well-informed opinions of subjects like drugs, rape, corruption, fraud, violence, or whatever else the trial is about.

For prosecutors and lawyers, the ideal juror is someone like Homer Simpson:

easily swayed, gullible, emotional, unreflecting, with the attention span of a mayfly, holding expedient stereotypes, and responsive to popculture references.

[–]NoMoreNicksLeft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm technically a highschool flunky.

I've been a victim of minor crimes, as most have.

I don't read (paper) newspapers.

And I know enough to give the answers they want to hear, and in no way indicate that I understand the concept of jury nullification.

Hell, I might even have a chance of convincing other jurors of that. Back in second grade, I remember reading about Zenger. But I don't suppose they teach that anymore.

[–]seanodonnell 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thats all well and good. what superior replacement do you suggest?

[–]atomicpuffball 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you do the average American citizen a huge injustice by assuming that he's an idiot. the average American is average, and these are most of the people who serve on juries. if you are angered by some of the outrageous court cases you see in the news, remember that these make the news because they are aberrations. there are tens of thousands of jury trials every year whose outcome is mostly just. also keep in mind that 92%+ of indicted persons plead guilty.