What Really Happens On Juries

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080106-9999-1m6juries.html

SAN DIEGO – When Sgt. Robert Hankins goes to trial tomorrow on charges that he abused men under his supervision at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, he’ll probably be staring at a jury full of familiar faces.

Some attorneys said the pool of potential jurors at small bases, including the depot, is so limited that it’s typical for many of the people who pass through the courtroom as lawyers, jurors or witnesses to know each other.

“There’s little that goes on aboard MCRD that all hands don’t know about, particularly when it comes to drill-instructor abuse,” said Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps attorney from San Diego who now teaches law at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Small jury pools make it harder for lawyers to choose a panel that isn’t biased. Moving a trial to a different base is cumbersome and rare, said longtime lawyers knowledgeable about military cases.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, January 6th, 2008 at 11:17 am and is filed under Court Dynamics, Jury Dynamics, Jury Instruction, Jury Selection, Jury Verdicts, Local Issues, Military, Old Media, Reform, Statistics, Trends, Trials. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.