Black and White By Jim Higo (3/3)

(1/3), (2/3), (3/3).

American law uses jury voir dire, which I have looked up and found to mean, speak the truth (Yes honestly, in America). This enables both sets of lawyers to refuse potential jurors for almost any reason. They are also allowed to have around ten peremptory strikes in which jurors can be ditched without any reason being given.

Ironically in politically correct USA jurors cannot be refused on the grounds of gender or race, which I can only say, is a good thing. However though, paradoxically, as a juror can be refused for no reason, a bigoted barrister is still able to reject a black Hispanic woman just so long as he doesn't give that as a reason for his refusal.

Lawyer's teams employ jury consultants to advise on what type of person might be sympathetic to their cause. Millions of dollars are spent for these people to reproduce the sort of ethnic, class, and racially stereotypical generalisations that we are trying to move away from. Latin's are emotional, Orientals are conservative, Jews are sentimental and liberal and all Welsh shag sheep.

Heavy, round-faced people are believed to be more favourable to the defence presumably because they miss most of the evidence as they are constantly nipping out for a snack or laughing in a very jovial and raucous manner.

Actors, artists and writers also make good defence jurors and especially so if the defendant happens to be a bit of a whoopsy. Women are sensitive and considerate (does no-one remember Thatcher?) and all men are potential rapists (except Pele). These techniques build on the assumption that people with certain characteristics will always respond the way most other people with the same characteristics respond and take into account nothing about individuality, but then it is America so maybe they have a point.

One court bystander said that if Jacko is found guilty she wouldn't be able to listen to another one of his songs without feeling sick and finally I find myself empathising with someone, I've felt that way for years.

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