Comments on: A Wilderness of Error, Errol Morris

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 02:36:00 +0000

I had regular jury duty once – the case settled before we were impaneled, though. And then I had four weeks of grand jury duty about two years ago, which was … intense and exhausting and interesting and sometimes very distressing (assaults, rape, animal abuse), and sometimes extremely tedious (gun sales cases where the prosecutor had to read the same charge over and over for each weapon involved), though there were moments of humor, too (in cases where no one was harmed, because of how certain witnesses described certain things). Also, if I learned one thing from grand jury duty, it was: don’t get off the bus or train and immediately pull out your smartphone and start looking at it.

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:00:00 +0000

In reply to Nishita. I like our jury system too! even though I consider it to be really super duper flawed. What do y'all do in India? No jury of one's peers?

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:00:00 +0000

In reply to Bina @ If you can read this. He may have, for all I know! I know that this isn't the first time he's gotten super-obsessed with a case. Apparently the last guy he was obsessed with his case, the guy was retried and acquitted. So who knows!

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:57:00 +0000

In reply to Stefanie@SoManyBooks. Hahahah, they'd never ever ever take me for a case where someone was accused of inappropriately touching a minor. They'd let me off on having been the victim of a (super minor! not a big deal!) sexual assault crime; they'd let me off behind knowing people who were inappropriately touched as minors; and they'd ALL THE WAY let me off behind being a child protection worker's kid. Nobody wants me on that jury.

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:52:00 +0000

In reply to jen mullen.

Oh, that’s what I’m about to do, is federal jury duty! I guessed that federal cases must have something to do with state lines in a lot of cases, but I’m still interested to see how it goes. (Also reluctant to miss work, but that’s how it goes!)

Please take my term “premise denial”. I am annoying proud of it and want to see it spread all about.

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:51:00 +0000

In reply to Aarti. INTeresting. I am going to conduct a straw poll amongst my Asian friends-and-relations to see if they have ever been called for jury duty. Stand by for results. (I have never been asked to serve serve either. Maybe soon.)

By: Jenny @ Reading the End

Jenny @ Reading the End — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:50:00 +0000

In reply to Athira / Aths. Oh yeah, Missoula sounds like a really tough read. In MacDonald's case, a lot of it seems to come down to people just not even looking at the evidence, and not worrying about its being contaminated, etc. Which I'm sure happens all too often in rape cases too. Blech.

By: Athira / Aths

Athira / Aths — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 10:47:00 +0000

I am currently listening to Missoula – about rapes in Univ of Montana and how easily the evidence can be seen to be in favor of the rape victim or the rapist, depending on which side you are in. Makes me so sad for all the people in the world whose cases aren’t very open and shut. A case like Macdonald’s can easily be argued for and against.

By: Aarti

Aarti — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 01:51:00 +0000

I am summoned for jury duty but I rarely ever get called for duty. I wonder if maybe I am too diverse for Chicago’s miscreants (or those charged with miscreancy?). A woman and a person of color and with multiple degrees. I actually know no Asians who have ever served on a jury or have even been interviewed.

By: jen mullen

jen mullen — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:10:00 +0000

I’m stealing your term “premise denial.” I need it.

I do remember the MacDonald case–and it has come up again several times over the years. I’m glad I wasn’t on that jury. I did serve once several years ago; it was a federal case, tremendously interesting, but not about a violent crime. The individual declared bankruptcy, then hid his assets over the state line, which is why the FBI was involved and it became a federal case. The evidence was truly stacked against him, but it was still hard to make a decision to send a man to jail.