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Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

Priceless said:
I have done jury duty but no one was quite that blatant. It really isn't that difficult to get out of if you really want.
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Here's a subtle way to get out of serving on a jury for a personal injury case, if desired: "it's really hard to verify anyone's claim of 'pain and suffering' since there is no way to measure it other than by the affected person's testimony."
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

walrus said:
If you screw around too much the court clerk/judge will just keep you coming in, you'll get the notice in the mail to report every month until you smarten up.
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Wow. That's excellent. :)

People never to p1ss off: the janitor and the scheduler.
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

Priceless said:
I have done jury duty but no one was quite that blatant. It really isn't that difficult to get out of if you really want. For example, there was a case of theft being heard. They asked if anyone in the jury pool had been a victim of theft. I raised my hand, said I had a book bag stolen. I knew the defense would strike me from the list as a previous "victim." I wasn't trying to get out of it, but all you have to do is say you're a previous victim and you'll be ixnayed. Another sure-fire way is to say that you MIGHT have a prior relationship with one of the witnesses, lawyers or the defendant. Something as innocuous as "I think that officer may have given me a traffic citation" is enough to get you excused from most juries. The prosecution won't want you because you might harbor some ill-will to that cop.

I got picked for three juries, but only one case went to trial. A very messy rape case. I am glad I served on that jury though since there were three Neanderthals who wanted to let the pervert walk because "she was asking for it" :rolleyes: It took four of us all day to convince them that, no, she wasn't.
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A lady lawyer friend of mine, who works for the El Paso Co. in Houston used to tell the story about how the chief corporate lawyer for the firm was chosen for a jury hearing a simple possession of LSD trial. No suggestion of selling. First offense. He was a Vietnam vet with no criminal record. A candidate for probation, no? The big shot lawyer was elected foreman and a sweet little old lady wanted to know if the death penalty applied in this case. He was so shocked he just announced he was hanging the jury, and to h*ll with those red necks.
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

Kepler said:
Is selection considered a court proceeding? Cuz that sounds like a ticket to a contempt fine.
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I was called as a prospective juror a few years ago, although I wasn't selected. My recollection is that we had an "oath" we had to swear to as a group before the lawyers started questioning the individual persons selected. As I recall it was basically an oath to respond truthfully to the lawyer's questions.
 
Kepler said:
Is selection considered a court proceeding? Cuz that sounds like a ticket to a contempt fine.
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Yes, but the reality is if you really don't want to be on a jury so badly that you're willing to make an *** of yourself, the judge and attorneys don't want you there either. Unless you catch a judge on a particularly bad day, you may get scolded but you won't have the book thrown at you.

The other thing is when surveyed after a case, no matter how negative they were going in most people say it was a positive experience and that they were glad to perform their civic duty. Most bad experiences come from those who have to wait around at the court house without getting called or excused.
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

unofan said:
Yes, but the reality is if you really don't want to be on a jury so badly that you're willing to make an *** of yourself, the judge and attorneys don't want you there either. Unless you catch a judge on a particularly bad day, you may get scolded but you won't have the book thrown at you.

The other thing is when surveyed after a case, no matter how negative they were going in most people say it was a positive experience and that they were glad to perform their civic duty. Most bad experiences come from those who have to wait around at the court house without getting called or excused.
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I've never gotten past the "call in to see if your number has been selected" phase, but I have always assumed that if I ever got down to selection I could answer a question with, "We discussed this in my doctoral program..." and whichever lawyer knew his case was bogus would yell "Next!"
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

Kepler said:
I've never gotten past the "call in to see if your number has been selected" phase, but I have always assumed that if I ever got down to selection I could answer a question with, "We discussed this in my doctoral program..." and whichever lawyer knew his case was bogus would yell "Next!"
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I was interviewed as a prospective juror for a civil trial that involved a person who was bit by a dog. I had an honest answer that made both attorneys smile. Asked about any potential prejudice I might have, I said "if the dog was a golden retriever, I'd be biased toward the defendant; if the dog was a St. Bernard, I'd be biased toward the plaintiff."
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

My county is one day, one trial. So far, in the 30 years I've lived here, I've been called once. Was sent home as all the cases were settled before they went to trial.
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

Kepler said:
I've never gotten past the "call in to see if your number has been selected" phase, but I have always assumed that if I ever got down to selection I could answer a question with, "We discussed this in my doctoral program..." and whichever lawyer knew his case was bogus would yell "Next!"
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My mother, mother of 3 children with both a BS and MS in child development, was seated on a jury for a child abuse (physical and sexual) case. Though that may speak more to the competency of lawyers in Tennessee than anything else...
 
LynahFan said:
My mother, mother of 3 children with both a BS and MS in child development, was seated on a jury for a child abuse (physical and sexual) case. Though that may speak more to the competency of lawyers in Tennessee than anything else...
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Or maybe both attorneys know he's guilty as sin and will let justice take its course.
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

joecct said:
Or maybe both attorneys know he's guilty as sin and will let justice take its course.
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Then the defense attorney isn't doing his job and should have an ethics complaint filed against him/her.

First duty of an attorney is to be a zealous advocate.

That said, my wife loves getting educated people on the jury. They're less likely to believe the police simply because they're wearing badges.
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

LynahFan said:
My mother, mother of 3 children with both a BS and MS in child development, was seated on a jury for a child abuse (physical and sexual) case. Though that may speak more to the competency of lawyers in Tennessee than anything else...
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I asked a lawyer friend and he said defendants want the most highly educated people they can get on juries when there are technical issues, because they won't just believe the prosecutions' "experts" who are often spreading manure.

He also said it's living hell when the case is complicated and the jurors are idiots, because jurors actually tend to be conscientious and they'll (rightfully) continue to ask for clarifications until you have to dumb it down to where everything relevant to the case is lost.
 
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Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

TimP said:
It's a domestic affair. The US should not get involved with such things.
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who asked us to? I'd like to see some hemming and hawing from our ambassador but its not likely to do anything
 
Re: Marathon Killers Apprehended: the Aftermath

So I didn't really research this and may have some parts wrong but....

The most popular morning radio show in Boston, the Matty in the Morning Show, is on one of Clear Channel's top stations, KISS 108. The morning team has been together for 30+ years. The day that jury selection began, the news/entertainment guy on that show said his son had jury duty and naturally they were all "OMG he has to get picked and then he can be our inside guy during the trial!!!! blah blah blah!!" Oh how funny and so on. Well I guess that somehow made it to the presiding judge and he's not happy. One or two members of the local media mentioned it, now Clear Channel is mad and telling the Matty in the Morning crew to stop talking, there was some mention of the defense calling for a hung jury or something. First of all, I don't think jury selection is complete, is it? Second, could you imagine there being a hung jury and this d-bag gets off because of a stupid radio show????
 
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