Cell Phones = Jury Freedom

[Ogre]

So, have you heard about the evil cell phones that are now destroying hundreds of years of jurisprudence? That's what this report claims. And the money shot:

They [Jurors] are required to make their decision based only on facts that the judge has decided

I have to ask, and I know this is the choir, then what is the point of a jury? I mean, seriously. If only the judge has the power to tell jurors what they are allowed to think and what facts they are allowed to believe, then what is the point of having a jury at all?

The scum-sucking bottom feeders lawyers actually claim that it's bad that jurors can look up "how long it might take to drive from point A to point B." Heck, these poor jurors are trying to think, and that simply CANNOT be allowed in a courtroom. The courtroom is no place for independent thought.

Mr. Keene said jurors might think they are helping, not hurting, by digging deeper.

Again, you are not helping people on trial by actually finding out factual information, according to Mr. Keene. Trails are based on the reality constructed by the lawyers and the judge and not the world we live in.

"It's important that they don't know what's excluded, and it's important that they don't know why it's excluded," Mr. Keene said. The court cannot even give a full explanation to jurors about research — say, to tell them what not to look for — and so instructions are usually delivered as blanket admonitions

In other words, even the judge has a hard time telling the difference between the courtroom created version of reality and the actual world, so the judge cannot even tell the difference or even explain the difference! The just just needs complete and total power and is not to be questioned in any way, shape or form!

But wait, there's more:

And, he said, enforcement goes beyond what the judge can do, noting that "it's up to juror 11 to make sure juror 12 stays in line."

So since the judge cannot tell where reality ends and his courtroom begins, it is now up to jurors to turn in any other jurors who actually attempt to use actual facts in making a decision instead of the courtroom fantasy land.

At least there's no word on trying to bring charges (yet) against jurors who attempt to bring reality into the courtroom. I don't own a blackberry or any type of device that can be used to reach the internet from inside a courtroom, but you can bet that if I get called to jury duty, I will certainly be borrowing one from someone. I suggest everyone else do the same. Heck, if I had enough money, I'd buy tons and hand them out to all jurors headed into the courtroom.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Whatever judged, lawyers and legislators say is entirely unimportant.

http://fija.org/