All Women Jury in Zimmerman Trial

Veritas · Jun 20, 2013

All-women jury chosen for George Zimmerman’s trial in fatal Trayvon Martin shooting - The Washington Post

I find this odd. Women tend to empathize with whom they perceive is a victim. The media has gone out of its way to portray Martin as this sweet little boy and Z as a mean, overbearing ogre. All you have to do is look at the pics they run. As I've already said, I don't think Z can get a fair trial. I hope I'm wrong and that these women are objective and impartial. But as a woman, I'm a bit doubtful.

Bedford · Jun 20, 2013

Conservatives have portrayed Martin as some drugged out thug who was casing the neighborhood for his next break-in, and wanted to kill Zimmerman.

Looks like things are even.

Is it your opinion that women tend to not be objective and partial?

GarfieldJL · Jun 20, 2013

Bedford said:
Conservatives have portrayed Martin as some drugged out thug who was casing the neighborhood for his next break-in, and wanted to kill Zimmerman.

Looks like things are even.

Is it your opinion that women tend to not be objective and partial?

As it stands right now the Defense already has numerous grounds to appeal a conviction due to the prosecutor's behavior in this case.

I hope he gets a fair trial in this go round, but if not odds are this conviction will be tossed on appeal.

Skaloop · Jun 20, 2013

GarfieldJL said:
As it stands right now the Defense already has numerous grounds to appeal a conviction due to the prosecutor's behavior in this case.

I hope he gets a fair trial in this go round, but if not odds are this conviction will be tossed on appeal.

I find it an interesting implication on your part that the only possible fair trial result is an acquittal.

Bedford · Jun 20, 2013

Skaloop said:
I find it an interesting implication on your part that the only possible fair trial result is an acquittal.

That is because they already believe Zimmerman is innocent.

RDKirk · Jun 20, 2013

Veritas said:
All-women jury chosen for George Zimmerman’s trial in fatal Trayvon Martin shooting - The Washington Post

I find this odd. Women tend to empathize with whom they perceive is a victim. The media has gone out of its way to portray Martin as this sweet little boy and Z as a mean, overbearing ogre. All you have to do is look at the pics they run. As I've already said, I don't think Z can get a fair trial. I hope I'm wrong and that these women are objective and impartial. But as a woman, I'm a bit doubtful.

Are you saying--as a woman--that women are not reliable as jurymembers?

RDKirk · Jun 20, 2013

Bedford said:
That is because they already believe Zimmerman is innocent.

Legally, he is innocent, and the jury is to go into the trial with that concept.

QueSi · Jun 20, 2013

RDKirk said:
Legally, he is innocent, and the jury is to go into the trial with that concept.

But the news said... Lol...to many people believe whatever the news says and find people guilty before trial...sad really.

Bedford · Jun 20, 2013

RDKirk said:
Legally, he is innocent, and the jury is to go into the trial with that concept.

What I said was they believe him to be innocent above the 'innocent until proven guilty'. Even if he is found guilty they still will believe he is innocent.

Bedford · Jun 20, 2013

RDKirk said:
Are you saying--as a woman--that women are not reliable as jurymembers?

That is how I read it.

cow451 · Jun 20, 2013

Veritas said:
All-women jury chosen for George Zimmerman’s trial in fatal Trayvon Martin shooting - The Washington Post

I find this odd. Women tend to empathize with whom they perceive is a victim. The media has gone out of its way to portray Martin as this sweet little boy and Z as a mean, overbearing ogre. All you have to do is look at the pics they run. As I've already said, I don't think Z can get a fair trial. I hope I'm wrong and that these women are objective and impartial. But as a woman, I'm a bit doubtful.

Both prosecution and defense participate in jury selection. Using this logic, women could also see Zimmerman as the victim. It is unusual, but doesn't necessarily give either side a leg up.

MachZer0 · Jun 20, 2013

RDKirk said:
Are you saying--as a woman--that women are not reliable as jurymembers?

In the voir dire process, attorneys on both sides are looking for jurors whom they believe will be prejudiced hoping that the other side doesn't recognize the prejudice or can't demonstrate cause to dismiss the juror

OllieFranz · Jun 20, 2013

Veritas said:
All-women jury chosen for George Zimmerman’s trial in fatal Trayvon Martin shooting - The Washington Post

I find this odd. Women tend to empathize with whom they perceive is a victim. The media has gone out of its way to portray Martin as this sweet little boy and Z as a mean, overbearing ogre. All you have to do is look at the pics they run. As I've already said, I don't think Z can get a fair trial. I hope I'm wrong and that these women are objective and impartial. But as a woman, I'm a bit doubtful.

Oddly, the only times I've ever seen it quoted (not that I have seen any evidence presented to back it up) about woman jurists letting their emotions cloud their reason was in rape trials, where they are said to be ferociously against believing the victim.*

*The theory is that they don't like feeling vulnerable, so they go in assuming that the woman victim must have done something to encourage the rapist.

As far as the all-female jury goes, while I do find it odds-defying, it is possible that the pool of potential jurists was so overwhelmingly female that no male was interviewed before the panel was complete, or only one or two, who were found unacceptable to one side or the other.

Certainly even though each side has a number of peremptory challenges (where they don't have to explain why they want a particular person off the jury), if one side is consistantly using those challenges to exclude (or pack) jurists based on one of the so-called "suspect classes" (race, creed, color, national origin, SEX, age, orientation, etc), the other can appeal the practice. It is my understanding that the appeal on this issue (and "appeal" may not be the correct legal term) must be heard before the jury is sworn in.

Panzerkamfwagen · Jun 20, 2013

GarfieldJL said:
As it stands right now the Defense already has numerous grounds to appeal a conviction due to the prosecutor's behavior in this case.

I hope he gets a fair trial in this go round, but if not odds are this conviction will be tossed on appeal.

You forgot that the state's star witness is a liar.

MachZer0 · Jun 21, 2013

So now the judge has decided to allow the prosecutor to refer to Zimmerman as a vigilante and a wannabe cop. It's almost as if she is setting the defense up for failure. If you can't find an impartial judge, how can you expect the jury to be impartial?

Cocoafrost · Jun 21, 2013

I'm surprised at an all woman jury as well. The defense had a part in impaneling this jury so they must have a strategy here that will benefit their client.

I also don't think Zimmerman can get a fair trial given all the pretrial publicity and slant that has fallen on the presumed facts of this case. I'm glad I'm not sitting on the Jury. And I hope those members who are there will not agree to interviews after.

Especially if they acquit. Some jury members in the past have suffered for the verdict they arrived at when members of the public have elected to pass sentence on them.

This trial is going to be televised and is to be available on the net. How many here are going to watch? I will if I can.

jgarden · Jun 21, 2013

The only other personal characteristic that appeared to affect juror decision-making was gender. Female jurors were more open to persuasion to change their vote in deliberations than male jurors. Male jurors rarely changed their mind.

http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads...sis/moj-research/are-juries-fair-research.pdf

I would have expected the defence to have put as many older, white males on the jury as the prosecution would allow.

Either the prosecution or the defense is going to have their conventional wisdom on picking an all female jury proven wrong.

GarfieldJL · Jun 22, 2013

MachZer0 said:
So now the judge has decided to allow the prosecutor to refer to Zimmerman as a vigilante and a wannabe cop. It's almost as if she is setting the defense up for failure. If you can't find an impartial judge, how can you expect the jury to be impartial?

It could also be the judge is giving the prosecution just enough rope to hang themselves too, cause if the prosecution isn't careful this could backfire on them.

Purge187 · Jun 22, 2013

I think juries should have some gender and ethnic diversity to them, but that's just me.

After reading about the case, it seems to me that Zimmerman was a trigger-happy idiot who was looking for a fight. He follows the kid in his vehicle, and then gets out of it to pursue him on foot.

I'm all for bearing arms, but people like him don't help much.

TemperateSeaIsland · Jun 22, 2013

Women: Know Your Limits! Harry Enfield - BBC comedy - YouTube

All Women Jury in Zimmerman Trial

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