David
02-11-2009, 02:29 PM
I've served on several juries, always with unhappy experiences.
My latest jury duty was in fall of 2007. The case involved a "party crew" of one girl and three guys. They went on a beer run, with the girl driving. The passenger in another car of two guys smiled at the girl, and the party crew chased them for several blocks and forced their car off the road. The males of the party crew opened the passenger door of the victims' car and hit the passenger in the face.
In testimony in court the girl seemed thrilled that her crew avenged her "honor."
I happen to be a professional photographer who has had experience in forensic photography. Police photographs of the scene clearly confirmed the victims' testimony. From the position of the accuseds' car they could have not been making a normal left turn; they were in the oncoming lane next to the curb. The only conclusion could be that they were cutting off the victim's car.
The driver of the victims' car was afraid to testify because of possible gang reprisal. My jury could not convict. It took six weeks to hear and deliberate this case.
People who weren't alive to remember the 1950's don't realize how different life is in America today. Gang violence exists because we allow it.
Do we really want to live in a world where our car can be forced off the road and we can be physically assulted for smiling at a girl in another car?
My latest jury duty was in fall of 2007. The case involved a "party crew" of one girl and three guys. They went on a beer run, with the girl driving. The passenger in another car of two guys smiled at the girl, and the party crew chased them for several blocks and forced their car off the road. The males of the party crew opened the passenger door of the victims' car and hit the passenger in the face.
In testimony in court the girl seemed thrilled that her crew avenged her "honor."
I happen to be a professional photographer who has had experience in forensic photography. Police photographs of the scene clearly confirmed the victims' testimony. From the position of the accuseds' car they could have not been making a normal left turn; they were in the oncoming lane next to the curb. The only conclusion could be that they were cutting off the victim's car.
The driver of the victims' car was afraid to testify because of possible gang reprisal. My jury could not convict. It took six weeks to hear and deliberate this case.
People who weren't alive to remember the 1950's don't realize how different life is in America today. Gang violence exists because we allow it.
Do we really want to live in a world where our car can be forced off the road and we can be physically assulted for smiling at a girl in another car?