OT: American justice system strikes again

[sbb122]

This is the whole problem, the people who get on Juries. Last time I was called, I didn't last 2 minutes.

"Mr 43, what do you do for a living?"
"Computer Forensic analyst and Incident Responder at a fortune 100 company"
"Um... Do you have anyone in your family or your friends with a law enforcement background?"
"My uncle retired as second in command with the Maryland State Police, my dad retired as a Liuetnenat Colonel and Rifle range instructor with the Baltimore County Police. My grandfather was Central Barracks commander with the Baltimore City police, and three of my high school friends became policemen. One in Harford county, the other two in the city."
"The prosecution would like to select Mr 43"
"The defense says no fucking way".

Bye bye.

I actually came back to see who got picked. Among the potentials were a guy who is ex Marine who has two kids as cops. Another was a clearly successful black guy who had a very clear "no bullshit" attitude, and at least two teachers. None of them made it on.

Who did? Two people who passionately argued the results of the previous day's episode of Judge Judy and a woman in a Halter top and jean shorts, neck tattoos and $300 nails.

People with sense? No way. And the thing is, I would have had greater suspicion of anything the cops presented as evidence because I have an intimate knowledge of the responsibilities of investigators. Simply poinying and saying "He did it" would not have flown with me.

It's a miscarriage of justice because the concept of "reasonable doubt" is all but gone. Now "How do you know it wasn't Captain Jack Sparrow who did it" qualifies as "reasonable doubt". The smokescreens of Abuse, the accidental drowning crap, the meter reader moved the body... All crap. But crap that stuck.

I have that picture from South Park where Johnnie Cochrane is pointing at Chewbacca above my desk. It reminds me just how thorough I have to be.

/Rep for this...