Jury Duty

[stanley123]

I was told once a sure fire way into Heaven: Do not judge.

Christ our Lord taught us: Judge not lest ye be judged.

I we do not judge anyone, we may be able to escape judgement ourselves.  Obviously, a little easier said than done, but an interesting concept all the same.

Jehovah's Witnesses take this command seriously as they refuse to sit on juries.

[marc hanna]

I have an issue with jury duty too, but as a juror you are not asked to judge a person's heart, only if the evidence is reasonable enough to prove that the defendant perpetrated the act for which he or she is accused.

[stanley123]

I have an issue with jury duty too, but as a juror you are not asked to judge a person's heart, only if the evidence is reasonable enough to prove that the defendant perpetrated the act for which he or she is accused.

The question to the jurors is whether or not the accused had violated a law. As the lawyers say, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

[marc hanna]

I have an issue with jury duty too, but as a juror you are not asked to judge a person's heart, only if the evidence is reasonable enough to prove that the defendant perpetrated the act for which he or she is accused.

The question to the jurors is whether or not the accused had violated a law. As the lawyers say, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Yes, but there is also the element of intent that they are often required to judge on.  Examples:  the intent to commit a murder in advance can turn 2nd degree and even manslaughter into premeditated murder.  The intent to do harm (where no harm actually occurred) is the difference between no crime and assault with a weapon.  Conspiracy is an intent that is criminal even when no crime has been committed.

But I digress, this is way off topic.