Massachusetts Jury's Racial Attitudes QuestionedBriefly, a MA judge has issued a summons to recall the entire jury that convicted a man of murder. His reasoning is that based upon the statements of 3 jurors,
the verdict was reached after racial remarks were made in the deliberation room. A racially mixed jury panel convicted the man 12-0, so it seems that any remarks that made, had no real infuence upon the decision.
Now, a year later the judge wants to question the entire panel in
open court as to what happened during deliberations.
I have several problems eith this. Not the least of which, goes to the chilling affect on all juries, that their deliberations are theirs and not whatever some judge thinks it should be.
My answer is "so what"? I am not sure what is meant by racial remarks, but IMO juries can make their deliberations based on whatever criteria they so chose. I hope some higher court comes down on this guy like a ton of bricks.