Comments on: Death penalty tossed because jury consulted The Bible http://www.saysuncle.com/2005/03/30/death_penalty_tossed_because_jury_consulted_emthe_bibleem/ Remember, I do this to entertain me... not you. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:27:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: kevin http://www.saysuncle.com/2005/03/30/death_penalty_tossed_because_jury_consulted_emthe_bibleem/comment-page-1/#comment-14799 kevin Thu, 31 Mar 2005 01:00:14 +0000 /?p=5208#comment-14799 "I fail to see why jurors aren’t allowed to consult law or any other reference. ‘Keep the jury stupid’ seems to be the MO." Well, not really. they are trying to keep information and issues not related to the case from contmainating the jury. They could not bring in newspaper account sof the case for the same reason; it would contian stuff that had been vetted through the court process, including information that could be prejudicial. Juries are given precise instructions on what the law means, and I think its probably a good idea to keep it that way. On the other hand, you are right about the headline. Reason 1456 to hate the media ... “I fail to see why jurors aren’t allowed to consult law or any other reference. ‘Keep the jury stupid’ seems to be the MO.”

Well, not really. they are trying to keep information and issues not related to the case from contmainating the jury. They could not bring in newspaper account sof the case for the same reason; it would contian stuff that had been vetted through the court process, including information that could be prejudicial. Juries are given precise instructions on what the law means, and I think its probably a good idea to keep it that way.

On the other hand, you are right about the headline. Reason 1456 to hate the media …

]]> By: SayUncle http://www.saysuncle.com/2005/03/30/death_penalty_tossed_because_jury_consulted_emthe_bibleem/comment-page-1/#comment-14798 SayUncle Wed, 30 Mar 2005 22:05:21 +0000 /?p=5208#comment-14798 Could have but there would have been no news story. I fail to see why jurors aren't allowed to consult law or any other reference. 'Keep the jury stupid' seems to be the MO. And of course that's similar to the actual AP headline: <em>Death Penalty Tossed Over Bible Verses</em> Could have but there would have been no news story. I fail to see why jurors aren’t allowed to consult law or any other reference. ‘Keep the jury stupid’ seems to be the MO.

And of course that’s similar to the actual AP headline: Death Penalty Tossed Over Bible Verses

]]> By: kevin http://www.saysuncle.com/2005/03/30/death_penalty_tossed_because_jury_consulted_emthe_bibleem/comment-page-1/#comment-14797 kevin Wed, 30 Mar 2005 21:54:45 +0000 /?p=5208#comment-14797 Your headline is wrong. the verdict was tossed becasue the jurors in question violated the law agaisnt bringing in any outside material to the jury room to use in deliberations. They could have used a copy of a law text and had the same result. Your headline is wrong. the verdict was tossed becasue the jurors in question violated the law agaisnt bringing in any outside material to the jury room to use in deliberations. They could have used a copy of a law text and had the same result.

]]> By: tgirsch http://www.saysuncle.com/2005/03/30/death_penalty_tossed_because_jury_consulted_emthe_bibleem/comment-page-1/#comment-14794 tgirsch Wed, 30 Mar 2005 20:23:50 +0000 /?p=5208#comment-14794 Everyone mark your calendars. <b>Stormy Dragon</b> and I agree on something. Now it's a race to see which one of us commits <i>harikari</i> first. :) Everyone mark your calendars. Stormy Dragon and I agree on something.

Now it’s a race to see which one of us commits harikari first. :)

]]> By: Stormy Dragon http://www.saysuncle.com/2005/03/30/death_penalty_tossed_because_jury_consulted_emthe_bibleem/comment-page-1/#comment-14791 Stormy Dragon Wed, 30 Mar 2005 19:37:21 +0000 /?p=5208#comment-14791 Eh, I think I have to agree with the judge in this. Nothing in the Bible is relevant to whether the defendant met the legal criteria to receive the death penalty, and the fact that the jury is debating it would seem to imply they're basing their decision on something other than the law. Eh, I think I have to agree with the judge in this. Nothing in the Bible is relevant to whether the defendant met the legal criteria to receive the death penalty, and the fact that the jury is debating it would seem to imply they’re basing their decision on something other than the law.

]]> By: markm http://www.saysuncle.com/2005/03/30/death_penalty_tossed_because_jury_consulted_emthe_bibleem/comment-page-1/#comment-14790 markm Wed, 30 Mar 2005 18:42:53 +0000 /?p=5208#comment-14790 As I understand it, the defense <i>invited</i> the jury to consider the Bible. The defense lawyer used an appeal to the Bible in his summation in the penalty phase. So naturally someone got a Bible and they checked out his reference - but they also found the "eye for an eye" part. As I understand it, the defense invited the jury to consider the Bible. The defense lawyer used an appeal to the Bible in his summation in the penalty phase. So naturally someone got a Bible and they checked out his reference – but they also found the “eye for an eye” part.

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