Jackson's Jury Faces Daunting Instructions During Deliberations

[Conservativesux]

Jackson's Jury Faces Daunting Instructions During Deliberations

By Linda Deutsch

The Associated Press

Jun 11, 2005

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) - Jurors deciding the child molestation case against Michael Jackson may have to reach as many as 20 separate decisions because of the complicated instructions given to them by the judge. It could take them a long time to sort it all out.

A detailed study of the 98 pages of legal instructions shows the panel is facing a task that could be confounding even to people familiar with the law. One of the toughest decisions could be whether Jackson participated in a conspiracy.

"Jurors are locked in the jury room without a lawyer, and they are expected to master one of the most complicated areas of the law - conspiracy," said Jim Hammer, a former San Francisco prosecutor who is now a legal analyst for Fox News.

Within the single conspiracy count are three other allegations - conspiracy to commit the crime of extortion, the crime of child abduction and the crime of false imprisonment. Each of those crimes requires a specific intent and must be decided individually.

More at:
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB74DC8U9E.html

[CarefullyLiberal]

1. Reply

The jury could just make it easy on themselves and say he's guilty of everything.

They could be home in time for dinner.

-Fergus

[Conservativesux]

2. MJ deserves a fair trial, but its' not looking good for ol' Jacko these.

days.

Hope he likes prison food, because thats where he is going, IMO.

[LeighAnn]

4. Twelve Angry Men

I watched that on Turner Classic a few weeks ago, and its stuck in my head.

He better hope there's a Henry Fonda in that jury room. I'm willing to bet there's at least one juror, unimpressed with the evidence, who will never vote to put the King of Pop behind bars.

[Gyre]

3. It really isn't that hard to decipher the instructions

but you have to be willing to remember what the crime is (ie, "false imprisonment") and use the instructions for guidance; NOT complete reliance. "False Imprisonment" is basically holding somebody against their will for more than a few seconds. The instructions list a few "elements" which are required to be found before a guilty verdict can be given.

But juries, these days, tie themselves up in knots trying to get 12 people to agree on what the language of the instructions really mean. It's pathetic to watch 12 reasonable people ham-string themselves by failing to use their "common sense" and get bogged down in the language used. In the "good 'ol days" people said "we know what false imprisonment is" and then they'd make a decision whether the evidence showed them that or not.

P.S.: oddly enough, the prosecutors I know think he's going to walk.

Gyre