Comments on: Police Blotter: Did blogging juror affect DUI trial?

Court of appeals upholds conviction of drunk driver who asked for a new trial because of a juror's blogging.

[tlcoles]

Cruel and unusual punishment

While I agree that this man's threats should be taken seriously and that he should be punished, I am disturbed at the degree to which this sentence goes: 8 yrs 9 mos for a (presumably drunken) rant at the police officers hauling off his girlfriend. If he had killed someone while drunk driving, he might not see a sentence like that.

Let's detail his incarceration here: the cost of feeding, clothing and sheltering this man in a prison; the complete removal of any educational or employment opportunities that could otherwise create better (model citizen) behavior; deprivation of time with loved ones, friends and (consensual) sexual partners; a U.S. economy robbed of another taxpayer.

Surely our judicial system is a bit out of control?

[Seaspray0]

On both sides, too

And, it's also bad when the criminals get off scott free for procedural technicalities. When they say "justice is blind", I'm not so sure they're refering to the impartiality of the system. Sometimes I think it's the system that is blind to real justice.

[irondog1970]

Juror went too far in my opinion

Most Americans assume that they will receive a fair trial with an impartial jury. To have a juror pre-deciding a verdict (in the true meaning of being prejudicial) to me smacks of the very concept of an impartial jury.

I would have like to have seen a mistrial declared and then give careful instruction to a newly empaneled jury. To me, the guilty verdict is tainted, and that is not in the interest of justice.

[macinvilas]

juror!

The Juror should go to jail also. Are you not to keep the case to
yourself till the trial is over?

[Travis Ernst]

Read the story!!

The juror did NOT post issues (or vital content) about the case
during the trial, the juror stated that he/she could not, as much
as they would have wanted to share. They had to remain either
silent to the outside community, or follow whatever the judges
orders were. Posting a one way statement in a blog would not
cause an effect on a juror. You are not reading outside media
that could cause you to slant on the case in front of you when
you post most blogs.

I do agree with the other posters however, that a lot of us have
stances on issues that are hard to set aside. Thus we should not
be chosen for those trials. My personal issues are with
electronics (media) such as RIAA trials as well as gun related
trials. I'm so pro gun I can't be neutral.

I could NEVER serve on one of the RIAA cases with the guidelines
that had been posted after the trial. I'm slanted that the fines
are too great and the violators are the downloaders not the
providers of the files.

[katerika]

Juror should be in jail.discipline is must for everyone.
we should obey the rules.

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Katerika

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