Legal History

jaysay · 18-06-2009, 11:19

Legal history has been made with the court of appeal ruling that for the first time in Englandand and Wales a trial can be held without a jury. Its the case of 4 men accused of an Armed Robbery at Heathrow Airport. The judge said there was a significant danger of jury tampering, one judge will site alone to hear the case

Tealeaf · 18-06-2009, 11:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

.... The judge said there was a significant danger of jury tampering, one judge will site alone to hear the case

Do you mean sit or ****e?

derekgas · 18-06-2009, 11:24

Not sure I would agree with this, it is much easier to 'tamper' with one person, than with a whole jury numbering twelve people!

Tealeaf · 18-06-2009, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekgas

Not sure I would agree with this, it is much easier to 'tamper' with one person, than with a whole jury numbering twelve people!

That's why the majority verdict of 10-2 was introduced some years ago, replacing the requirement for all twelve jurors to agree on guilt.

Eric · 18-06-2009, 15:34

Isn't it up to the accused to elect whether he is tried by a jury or by a judge alone?

jaysay · 18-06-2009, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

Do you mean sit or ****e?

Without the "e" Tealeaf

jaysay · 18-06-2009, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

Isn't it up to the accused to elect whether he is tried by a jury or by a judge alone?

Not here Eric, you can chose trial by jury or by magistrate for some cases, its only a short time ago that legislation was past to allow no jury trials and its the first time its been used, think it was past in 2007

***Mr D*** · 18-06-2009, 15:58

Sounds a bit dodgy to me.

How do we know the accused would be getting a fair trial.

accyman · 18-06-2009, 19:03

i wonder how long it will be before tey start dragging people into court without a jury for mush lesser crimes

they could have still had a jury if teh jury was sat in another building watching by video link so they couldnt be seen

that way there would have at least been a jury where now it all depends on what side of teh bed a judge got out of that particular day

***Mr D*** · 18-06-2009, 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by accyman

i wonder how long it will be before tey start dragging people into court without a jury for mush lesser crimes

they could have still had a jury if teh jury was sat in another building watching by video link so they couldnt be seen

that way there would have at least been a jury where now it all depends on what side of teh bed a judge got out of that particular day

Probably not to long.

True they could of had a jury by video link wonder why they chose not to have one at all.

accyman · 19-06-2009, 00:59

no idea but i bet when found guilty which wont be a surprises verdict even if they were innocent teh case comes up before teh european courts as an unfair trial

unless its european law that you can be tried without a jury european law usually over rides english law