Dear Editor:
The long overdue eradication of the jury system, seems to be imminent, but unfortunately, as the debate intensifies, a partisan element seems to be taking centre stage, and might well upstage the process.
“When you go into court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.” – Norm Crosby
People who have had practical experience with the system, those voices should be heard, but, I believe that this is not a matter that should be supported or not supported because of partisan interests.
We have some recent lessons that should be used for the urgency of making the reform, such as the World Boss debacle, and many more cases like that. Never forget the case where a girl was gang raped, the accused persons were from families of means, the evidence against them was very strong, yet the jury declared them not guilty, and the trial judge told the jurors that they were not welcome in any court that he was presiding.
"In the courtroom, it's where a lawyer really becomes an actor. There's a very fine line between delivering a monologue in a play and delivering a monologue to a jury. I've always felt that way - I've been in a lot of courtrooms. The best lawyers are really theatrical." - Woody Harrelson.
In one of the recent gang trials, a defense lawyer was employing some gymnastics talks to prove the innocence of his clients, and the trial judge reminded him that such tactics were not necessary, because it was not a jury trial.
I have served as a Foreman Juror on rape and murder trials. And a man spent time behind bars for seeking to have me setting a murder accused free. "Attempting to pervert the course of justice."
When I was called to serve as a juror, I did everything not to serve, but, maybe I was not as smart as others who were successful in their ploys to evade being selected, and so soon as I stated my line of work, defense lawyers objected to me, but I was selected, when they were unable find persons.
After I was approached to set the accused person free, I discussed the matter with a senior police officer with whom I shared a special relationship, and was advised to make a report to the court.
At court the next day, I informed the other members of the jury of the person coming to me, and telling me not to find the accused guilty, and the advice from the police, as well as if it was reported and proven that we were in contact with the accused person, and several of the jurors said they were also requested to free the accused person.
We all made reports to the court, and the person who approached us, was arrested, and later given a prison sentence.
Years later, while walking in Spanish Town, late one night, a voice from behind me shouted about three times, "lf yuh want bly, yuh fi give bly. A yuh mi a talk juror bwoy." By this time the person was beside me, pointing at me, and I discovered that it was the man who had served time in prison for attempting to pervert the course of justice, in the murder trial where I was the Foreman Juror. I positioned myself to make a forceful defense, if was physically attacked, he realised it, and he walked away.
The system needs to be reformed, so that the guilty cannot be free because they can corrupt the jurors, or the jurors making decisions because they are bamboozled with emotional arguments.
Garfield L. Angus
Spur Tree P.O.
Manchester
