State Representative Believes Trayvon Was Entitled to a Jury of His Peers (VANITY)

WRKF ^

[ZX12R]

[V_TWIN]

“I suppose the prosecution approved of the jury’s members. Seems odd, though, that there were no blacks.”

IIRC the prosecution and defense have a certain amount of potential jurors they can reject but basically both sides do agree on the jury selections. Trust me if the prosecution even thought for a second they didn’t have a fair say in jury selection we would have heard about before now.

[Timocrat]

Actually, the Rep and the caller were both wrong; neither is entitled to a jury of their “peers”. The Constitution simply entitles the defendant to an “impartial” jury, it says nothing about the makeup of the jury.

Technically you're correct although the Magna Carta enshrined that principle into English/US law and most people assume it's still operative in US law, auras, penumbras and emanations notwithstanding.

[jsanders2001]

I thought he lost that right when he started smashing whitey’s head into the pavement and was shot dead on the spot. People have a hard time with with what a “right” is nowadays

[jsanders2001]

> The defense made a good point that if he wasn’t dead Trayvon would have been on trial for assault

And most definitely found guilty, rpecially after the arresting officers determined he was hopped up on drugs at the time.

[JohnGerald]

The phrase "jury of his peers" does not appear in the Constitution at all.

"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."

[bert]

Trayvon got justice..... he’s dead

The jury for Zimmerman’s trial was of his peers

The criminal Trayvon was not on trial. He was dead

[CondorFlight]

Patrick Henry:

“By the bill of rights of England, a subject has a right to a trial by his peers. What is meant by his peers? Those who reside near him, his neighbors, and who are well aquainted with his character and situation in life.” Patrick Henry, (Elliont,The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, 3:579).

Patrick Henry also knew that orignally the JURY of PEERS was designed as a protection for Neighbors from outside governmental oppression. Henry states the following, “Why do we love this trial by jury? Because it prevents the hand of oppression from cutting you off...This gives me comfort - that, as long as I have existence, my neighbors will protect me.” (Elliot, 3:545, 546)

[shhrubbery!]

The THUG was not on trial, so he gets no jury of peers or otherwise.

Very true.

But for argument's sake, assume Trayvon survived the encounter with George Zimmerman.

In that case Trayvon, would have been charged with aggravated assault:
And had the case gone to trial, he would have been entitled to the very same jury as Zimmerman got.

Amazing that the person who says he would "stake his law license on it" seems to have no idea what a "jury of one's peers" means.

"Peers" in this case does not mean people of the same age, race, religion etc. It means people who are selected from a broad cross-section of the population in the district where the alleged crime took place.

[jimmyo57]

“Why didn’t the jury contain some blacks? Some men?”

There was a black man but the prosecution didn’t want him. They want an all female jury to play upon the emotions.

[freeangel]

I could actually enjoy a jury of 6 dead thugs. They would be Trayvons’ peers and still unlikely to cast a guilty verdict.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

Had Trayvon survived and been charged with crimunal assault or felonious assualt he would have had his opportunity to face a jury of his peers. As it is now, in the cemetery, he’s surrounded by his peers eternally.

[Foolsgold]

I wonder if the family registered TM™?

[Pollster1]

Between drugs, burglary, and battery, Trayvon would have faced a jury soon enough. TM made an even worse mistake though and decided to try murder with someone unwilling to play. He thought he knew the rules from school: he was too special for consequences, but it turned out that rule didn’t apply in the real world.