• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnicity?

Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnicity?

  • Yes they should allow a potential juror to be excluded due to race

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes they should allow a potential juror to be excluded due to ethnicity

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    20

jamesrage

DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
36,705
Reaction score
17,867
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Slightly Conservative
Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on their beliefs,race or ethnicity? The are poll options asking yes or no for each.


Aafia Siddiqui demands no Jewish jurors at attempted murder trial - Times Online

A Pakistani scientist who is the only woman accused of working with the al-Qaeda leadership has demanded that Jews should be excluded from the jury at her trial in New York.

Aafia Siddiqui called for jurors to undergo genetic testing in an outburst in federal court in Manhattan yesterday.

“If they have a Zionist or Israeli background . . . they are all mad at me,” Ms Siddiqui, an American-educated neuroscientist, said. “I have a feeling everyone here is them [sic] — subject to genetic testing. They should be excluded if you want to be fair,” she told the judge.
 
Last edited:
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Beliefs, yes to an extent. Race and ethnicity, no.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Heck, while we're at it, why not genetically eliminate all New Yorkers? We'd probably be pretty pissed off at her, too. :lol:
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Beliefs, yes to an extent. Race and ethnicity, no.

Even if the defendant in question in a racial supremacist?
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Even if the defendant in question in a racial supremacist?

Yeah. You've got a right to a jury of your peers, not a right to a jury of who you think your peers are.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Also, to clarify my "other" response:

There are some beliefs that you should be excluded from a jury pool for, but they are beliefs that would genuinely prevent you from reaching a fair verdict.

For example, bigots and people who assume that if you've been arrested, you're guilty should definitely not be included in juries.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Even if the defendant in question in a racial supremacist?

Yes. Because you're assuming that someone of a different race would automatically be biased against the defendant. That's not the case. Just because the defendant is biased against a juror doesn't mean it goes the other way around.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Yes. Because you're assuming that someone of a different race would automatically be biased against the defendant. That's not the case. Just because the defendant is biased against a juror doesn't mean it goes the other way around.

That's why Obama got 90% of the black vote.....:roll:
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

That's why Obama got 90% of the black vote.....:roll:

and white presidential candidates had historically received 100% of the white vote

your turn to contribute something else that will be found meaningless
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

and white presidential candidates had historically received 100% of the white vote

First, I'd say 100% is inaccurate....
Secondly, Obama was the first viable black candidate ever put on the presidential ballot by a major party, so there really aren't any stats to compare it with..........:roll:


your turn to contribute something else that will be found meaningless

Thank you for bolstering my point, race can & often is, a cause of bias, from either side, with regard to jurors, I believe my statement has value........;)
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

That's why Obama got 90% of the black vote.....:roll:

Hey, you're right. We shouldn't allow blacks to serve on juries at all. They're obviously biased.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Jurors should not be allowed to be excluded based on race or ethnicity, since those things would not effect their impartiality. If a juror's beliefs would affect their ability to be impartial, then they should be excluded for that.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

That's why Obama got 90% of the black vote.....:roll:

It probably had soemthing to do with the fact that 90% of Blacks are Democrats.

Younger Blacks Tell Democrats to Take Notice - NYTimes.com

Both of which are irrelevant to the question of how a black juror would act.

As someone who has spoken to multiple jury consultants about this exact issue, I can tell you that black jurors are generally pro-defendant, regardless of the race of the accused.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Both of which are irrelevant to the question of how a black juror would act.

As someone who has spoken to multiple jury consultants about this exact issue, I can tell you that black jurors are generally pro-defendant, regardless of the race of the accused.

So experts agree they are biased.....;)
Thanks!.......:)
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

So experts agree they are biased.....;)
Thanks!.......:)

They're "biased" just like everyone else.

Pro-prosecutor:

Men
White/Asian
Self-employed
Married
Old/Yuppies

Pro-defendant:

Women
Hispanic/Black
Un/under-employed
Divorced/Separated
Young, except for yuppies

I'm really getting sick of your racist bull****.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

They're "biased" just like everyone else.

Pro-prosecutor:

Men
White/Asian
Self-employed
Married
Old/Yuppies

Pro-defendant:

Women
Hispanic/Black
Un/under-employed
Divorced/Separated
Young, except for yuppies

I'm really getting sick of your racist bull****.
You were informative until your unneccessary comment....
Just because you find certain things unpalatable does not make them irrelevant....
I put some facts up, & sorry if you don't like it......:(
My soloution would to be a random draw of jurists, with no exclusions, whoever you draw, you get, end of story......:)
 
Last edited:
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

My soloution would to be a random draw of jurists, with no exclusions, whoever you draw, you get, end of story......:)

Which would be an awful solution, or more accurately an even worse outcome.

For instance, in a trial against a drug company, would you want to exclude people who have had a history of problems with that company to get a fair trial?

Normal people would say including peoples with personal biases against specific firms in a jury is going to result in a less then fair trial. Or say that a juror underwent the same incident, such as suing the state? How fair could they be?

And your "solution" does not eliminate jurors who have personal connections to either party. How one could ever get a fair trial when there are personal ties between the jury and the defendant/plaintiff is beyond the realm of reasonable conclusions.

To produce a fair jury trial, you eliminate jurors who have biases either way. Your "solution" does not allow that.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

You were informative until your unneccessary comment....
Just because you find certain things unpalatable does not make them irrelevant....
I put some facts up, & sorry if you don't like it......:(
My soloution would to be a random draw of jurists, with no exclusions, whoever you draw, you get, end of story......:)

The problem with your racism is that you do such a ****ty job at concealing it that it is an insult to the intelligence of both white and black people with an IQ above 100.
 
Last edited:
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

The problem with your racism is that you do such a ****ty job at concealing it that it is an insult to the intelligence of most both white and black people with an IQ above 100.

I'll work on it, there is always room for improvement.....:)
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Maybe I'm mistaken, but aren't potential jurors already questioned prior to selection, in order to rule out those who have a significant bias?
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

Maybe I'm mistaken, but aren't potential jurors already questioned prior to selection, in order to rule out those who have a significant bias?
I guess you've been avoiding jury duty, don't worry, I won't tell ;)

yea you go through a vetting process.
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

I guess you've been avoiding jury duty, don't worry, I won't tell ;)

.

:mrgreen:
My own experience is that I've been served notice for jury duty three times. In each case, the case is plea-bargained, and I've wasted half a day for 7 dollars.;)
 
Re: Should someone not be allowed to serve on a jury based on beliefs,race or ethnici

A Pakistani scientist who is the only woman accused of working with the al-Qaeda leadership has demanded that Jews should be excluded from the jury at her trial in New York.

Oh, there's an easy solution for that.

Put her sorry terrorist ass back into the military courts, where it belongs, and have her tried there, and if there's a Jewish judge on the tribunal, well, tough ****, she doesn't get to impose her bigotry on us.
 
Back
Top Bottom