Quote Originally Posted by HoreTore View Post
....And my argument is that if we've progressed so far that a would-be tyrant is able to control the judges, we're screwed anyway. If he's able to do that, he's able to do a whole number of other nasty things we won't be able stop.

Conclusion: the jury system isn't a safeguard against tyranny, and should thus be judged solely on its ability to serve justice.
We are at that stage and have been for decades. Free countries are always teetering on the edge, above an abyss of tyranny. As long as enough people realize that and are willing to do something about it, we will not fall.