Legal to murder a prostitute for non-compliance in the US?

[Vuk]

It's pretty frontierish. Jury's should get a say in what punishment someone ought be be getting as a mere recommendation at most imho, certainly not if someone is guilty or not, just to feel the temperature of the water. Much to be done there

Nah, they shouldn't decide the punishment. They would either be too vindictive or let him off scott-free most times I'd think. Not to mention they would never agree with so many variables. Look at the hard time they have with a simple Guilty/Not Guilty.

As many problems as it creates, having the right to trial by jury is an essential safeguard against tyrrany and does much more good than harm.

[gaelic cowboy]

the old joke was you couldnt get a verdict from a Clare jury

supposedly they ruled "Not guilty if he gives back the horse"

judges says you cannot do that

"Ok then guilty and he can keep the horse"






suposedly there was a case of a publican charged with having people in his pub after closing time.

publican admitted to his offence an said he was guilty so far so open and shut yea.

nah the jury commented that the publican was known as a notorious liar and so they disregared his statements and rulled innocent.

lets just say the drink were free that evening

[Sarmatian]

As many problems as it creates, having the right to trial by jury is an essential safeguard against tyrrany and does much more good than harm.

But, it also leaves the door open for another kind of tyranny - tyranny of the majority. If the majority have a very low opinion of you, like in this case a prostitute, you may find that you're not equal before the law...

[HoreTore]

But, it also leaves the door open for another kind of tyranny - tyranny of the majority. If the majority have a very low opinion of you, like in this case a prostitute, you may find that you're not equal before the law...

Indeed.

I trust the judgement of the trained professional over the village idiot any day of the week.

As for "defense against tyranny": if the judges are corrupted we're so far into fascism we're screwed anyway. So that's a moot point.

[Vuk]

But, it also leaves the door open for another kind of tyranny - tyranny of the majority. If the majority have a very low opinion of you, like in this case a prostitute, you may find that you're not equal before the law...

It has its problems, true, but it is essential in a free society. The problems that the system of trial by jury bring do not outway the threat of government tyranny.

Indeed.

I trust the judgement of the trained professional over the village idiot any day of the week.

As for "defense against tyranny": if the judges are corrupted we're so far into fascism we're screwed anyway. So that's a moot point.

Those lawyers, judges, and trained professionals are usually more corrupt and dishonest than the average person. There has always been problems in this country with corrupt judges, and is a far greater problem then what we have with juries. All a dictator or a group of people have to do to make the court a weapon is bribe or threaten a relatively small amount of people if judges determined people's innocence. That is not possible with juries.

[HoreTore]

Those lawyers, judges, and trained professionals are usually more corrupt and dishonest than the average person. There has always been problems in this country with corrupt judges, and is a far greater problem then what we have with juries. All a dictator or a group of people have to do to make the court a weapon is bribe or threaten a relatively small amount of people if judges determined people's innocence. That is not possible with juries.

....And my argument is that if ever arrive at that stage, we're already doomed and thus the juries won't save us.

If Germany had the US' jury system in 1932, it would have made as much difference as holding up a napkin to stop a bullet.

[Vuk]

....And my argument is that if ever arrive at that stage, we're already doomed and thus the juries won't save us.

If Germany had the US' jury system in 1932, it would have made as much difference as holding up a napkin to stop a bullet.

It is one of the reasons we are not in the situation Germany was in 1932.

[HoreTore]

It is one of the reasons we are not in the situation Germany was in 1932.

I don't see how that statement is anything other than wishful thinking based on nothing.

Are you suggesting that german judges helped Hitler's rise to power?