Disadvantages of Trial by Jury A03

Question 1

What are the 4 WDPs for disadvantages of trial by jury

Answer 1

Perverse verdicts
Secrecy of the jury room
Bias
Media influence

Question 2

-P1: Jurors have been known to not adhere to the ‘strict letter of the law’

Answer 2

can result in perverse verdicts = inconsistency

Question 3

-DP1: R v Owen - df was undoubtedly guilty of attempted murder

Answer 3

acquitted by the jury due to sympathy = no justice

Question 4

+WDP1: Jury not case hardened

Answer 4

more likely to be less biased

Question 5

-P2: Secrecy of the jury room

Answer 5

don’t have to give reason for their verdict, may not understand the evidence and nobody would know

Question 6

-DP2: Jurors could make decisions based on prejudice

Answer 6

Could result in an unfair biased travel

Question 7

+WDP2: R v Young

Answer 7

df successfully appealed murder conviction when it was revealed that jurors used a ouiji board = fair

Question 8

-P3: Jurors own bias may affect the verdict

Answer 8

e.g: people who don’t like law enforcement

Question 9

-DP3: Sander v UK

Answer 9

Asian man had racist jokes made by jurors, and the judge refused to dismiss the jury = unfair

Question 10

+WDP3: Jurors should be unbiased due to random selection

Answer 10

Jury vetting works to prevent bias

Question 11

-P4: Media coverage could influence jurors opinions

Answer 11

may reach a verdict based on false information father than evidence

Question 12

-DP4: R v West

Answer 12

df appealed when her case received extreme amount of media attention, saying it was impossible to have a fair trial;

Question 13

-WDP4: Jurors shouldn’t be influenced by external sources

Answer 13

all jurors will not take media coverage as fact = fair