The War on Juries Continues

Very few things can be more chilling to a potential juror than being hauled up in front of a judge nearly a year after a trial to answer questions about what took place in the jury room.

From the article it seems like nothing will change in this case, but the message is clear: judges don’t hold the jury in very high regard. Clearly, the issue is controversial, however the potentials jurors are supposed to be grilled about their beliefs before the trial, not after. This is near harassment.

Questioning jurors in open court about their deliberations after a verdict is extremely rare. Jury deliberations are considered almost sacrosanct.

"It's extraordinary," said Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, who warned that forcing jurors to testify could have a chilling effect.

"The jury system depends on jurors being open and frank in their views. We protect the sanctity of the jury room for that reason," he said.