Re: LAW: Problems with Juries [was: A modest proposal]

From: GBurch1@aol.com
Date: Sun Feb 06 2000 - 13:32:39 MST


In a message dated 2/6/00 2:03:13 PM Central Standard Time, spike66@ibm.net
writes:

> If I were to get a jury of engineers, it would be the defense attorney's
>
> worst nightmare. Eh, Greg? spike

It depends on what kind of case is involved. In most of the cases I try, I
fight like hell to keep technically-educated people on the jury, or to have
the case decided by a technically literate judge. The case I tried in
October, involving the coatings system on a mobile drilling rig, was tried
before a federal judge in a bench trial. I was very happy with this
arrangement, because the judge was very smart, knew his way around a ship
from long experience with maritime matters, and seemed to enjoy the technical
discussion offered by the witnesses I offered.

If I was a criminal defense lawyer and something like balistic or DNA
evidence tended to exonerate my client, I'd sure want you on the jury, Spike.

      Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
      Attorney ::: Vice President, Extropy Institute ::: Wilderness Guide
      http://users.aol.com/gburch1 -or- http://members.aol.com/gburch1
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        "We never stop investigating. We are never satisfied that we know
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       question. This has become the greatest survival trick of our species."
                                          -- Desmond Morris



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