Ten Myths About Jury Trials, Explained
Here they are, from Richard J. Crawford, founder and past national president of the American Society of Trial Consultants (h/t Jeralyn).
- Your only chance as a defendant is to have lots of money.
- Innocence will protect you in a criminal trial.
- Lawyers prefer jurors with little formal education.
- Defendants should always take the stand in their own defense.
- Jurors sometimes find defendants innocent.
- Defense lawyers who defend those they know to be guilty are unethical.
- A trial is about discovering the truth.
- Jurors deliberate in the classic sense until they reach their verdict.
- Evidence drives the outcome of jury verdicts.
- When a jury votes guilty, that is final.
Tags: Kathy
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Liberty Street 
April 5, 2008 at 9:31 pm
I went to the link and read all the explanations. #8 – I was the only person on a 12 person jury that would not vote guilty. Yeah there is a lot of pressure. I felt that the only thing the defendant was guilty of was being poor. 20 year old HS drop-out with a wife & 4 kids.
I think they reached a plea agreement in lieu of a re-trial.
April 5, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Good for you, Chief. Not many people would have the moral courage to do the right thing under that kind of pressure.