Friday, 11 February 2011

All about... the justice delayed and justice denied.

You know why they don't make many movies about jury service? OK, there was "12 Angry Men, " but that was an exceptional film. But, if they did make a film about the British jury service, you most likely would have whole bunch of scenes consisting of people sitting around waiting for something to happen.

Not exactly riveting viewing.

But when you do get called, it's nothing like what you expected. Perhaps, we have been spoilt by popular media. We see the Law and Order series (in it's various incarnations) and read the John Grisham novels. But reality can be silly, shocking and more often than not, disappointing.

Sometimes the judge can be a real character, trying to keep a trial moving on with good humour. A prosecutor can put a whole court to sleep with a closing argument that could be a bedtime story. Listening to transcripts of interviews can be like listening to a very bad radio drama, tempered by a posh prosecutor trying to do their best impression of "East London" dialogue. And don't even think about laughing in court.

Tough, innit?


It costs £8,000 to open the court to try a case. This does not include paying the judge, the prosecutor, the clerks of the court, the bailiffs and the defense lawyers, if provided by legal aid. It also takes up to a year to come to a Crown court after being passed on from the Magistrates court. So, when you sit in court a listen to a trial that is going to end because of lack of evidence or a poorly constructed case by the prosecution, you have to groan at the waste of time and money.


But seriously, sit in a jury. Listen to the arguments. Look at the evidence. Try to come to a decision, beyond reasonable doubt. It's not always black and white.

Sometimes, deep down you think someone is guilty, but the prosecution just hasn't brought a strong enough case. When that doubt lingers and you decide there is reasonable doubt, you waver for an instance but you make your choice. Sometimes, you find them guilty, sometimes not.

And sometimes you make the wrong decision.

You have to live with that. 



Perhaps, we can't handle the truth.