Trail by Jury

I heard this summed up by an ex-policeman of many years service.

"when you are innocent, a jury trial is like playing Russian roulette with three chambers charged in the cylinder.

If guilty, always go for a jury trial, as the jurors can be swayed by the most inconsequental item."

What is a Jury?

Twelve people not clever enough to get out of doing Jury duty for $37/per diem (or some suchlike pittance)
and/or,
Twelve people who would not be missed from their place of employment.

I could always get my workers off, with a quick letter- they got the option but they all wanted me to get them out of it.

For those who have never spent time in court, it is ABSOLUTLY NOTHING like portrayed on television. There is no drama, there are no brilliant pleas, no clever evidence presented by the lawyers- it's as dull as dishwater, the tedium only broken by something like the judge giving one of the defense wankers a blast for wasting time- they are inclined to do that, when they have their trotters in the public trough.

The defendant usually sits there like the unanimated cabbage that he is when not fueled by chemicals and at least one or two of the jury will be nodding off at any one time. They generally only nut off in the holding cells out of sight.

I urge anyone with a day to burn to sit in the public gallery, just to see what it's like. Once would be enough. Or you could do it the hard way and do your jury duty.