Post by steppenwolf on Jan 16, 2023 14:58:41 GMT
This is all anecdotal of course but I remember about 20 years ago I was called up for Jury Service. I was really pissed off because it meant at least 2 weeks with no money coming in but it turned out to be very interesting. I was there for 3 weeks and was on 5 juries. In one of them a young black guy (about 18 IIRC) was charged with TWOC (taking a car without consent). He was a total liar and made up many stories about how he had bought the car from his uncle - but he didn't know who his uncle was or his address. It was total nonsense. He had also lied to the police about his name when stopped.
Anyway most of the jury saw through the nonsense and found him guilty - but two of the jury were absolutely resolute that he was "a nice young man" and that he was not guilty. They claimed that the police had stopped him for "driving while black". Many of the jury pointed out that the car was stolen and that it had been flagged up on an ANPR camera, which was why he was stopped. The police had no idea of the race of the driver until they stopped him. But it did no good. They were convinced he was a victim of racial prejudice. And - you've guessed it - they were both black jurors.
Fortunately the judge decided that he would accept a 10-2 majority (which I didn't know they could) and found him guilty. And when the judge read out his previous record the guy had a string of convictions going back many years for theft and violence - and had never been jailed. And he probably just got probation for this crime.
And of all the 5 juries I was on 4 of them had a black defendant - and this is not in a black area.
Anyway most of the jury saw through the nonsense and found him guilty - but two of the jury were absolutely resolute that he was "a nice young man" and that he was not guilty. They claimed that the police had stopped him for "driving while black". Many of the jury pointed out that the car was stolen and that it had been flagged up on an ANPR camera, which was why he was stopped. The police had no idea of the race of the driver until they stopped him. But it did no good. They were convinced he was a victim of racial prejudice. And - you've guessed it - they were both black jurors.
Fortunately the judge decided that he would accept a 10-2 majority (which I didn't know they could) and found him guilty. And when the judge read out his previous record the guy had a string of convictions going back many years for theft and violence - and had never been jailed. And he probably just got probation for this crime.
And of all the 5 juries I was on 4 of them had a black defendant - and this is not in a black area.