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I have always believed in our system of justice

However in the case of the lady who was called upon to be on the jury, who contacted one of the accused and has ended up in jail

I have to say I feel for her.

If she was bright. She would not have done what she did.

Totally stupid of course but the fact is the woman would not be in jail if she had not been called to do jury service.

Her actions cost the country a millions.

That is the system.

The system must be more wrong than the person who obviously did not understand it. 

Saying that the judge had explained it is not enough. We should ask the jury members to display that they have understood what they have been told

Assuming that all those called to jury service have a normal intelligence is not enough.

There are house holds all over the country where members have a low IQ.

No one looks into the intelligence of a jury member. All that is required is that you are on the electoral roll.

NOT good enough.

To be on jury service. WE need to have an IQ test and proper advice.

A boring judge reading out a load of drivel is not acceptable as an excuse that the jury have been told. It needs to be proved that the jury members understand what their responsibilities are.

Certainly I know, It would not have happened to me. However I know a few people who are less able in intellect who would have felt it their duty to do investacative work.

Hard. Because we instinctively, as humans, have a natural instict to research.

Poor soul, she was called on to do her civic duty. She took it too seriously, ended up as a criminal.

NOT RIGHT

Sillly lass just keep your mouth shut next time, :)

you seem to be putting so much faith in the need for stuff to be decided based on intelligence, but if there's one thing you can say for certain looking at the world around us it is that

Anyone Can Make A Mistake, But It Takes Someone Really Clever To **** Things Up Completely

Bugloss!!!

I think I'm rapidly becoming a fan of your one liners.   ;D

What you said is so very very true!

So your theory is that only stupid people do stupid things? I have an IQ of 153 but I guarantee I have done as many stupid things as anyone else. I would still, however, understand a simple instruction not to do research on the internet as at least a caution not to contact one of the defendants online.

Guess what. If you're too stupid to follow simple instructions, maybe jail is a safe place for you.

On a serious note, I thank goodness that my chosen profession made me exempt from jury service.

However, the law is very difficult to understand in some circumstances and so it can be understandable when I juror is at a total loss.

I really don't know what the answer to this is. On the one hand you need a cross-section of individuals on a jury to get a variety of opinions and views. The judge is there to guide them and if they do have any questions or do not understand anything then they are free at any time to ask for help and guidance on matters of law.

So strictly she should have known that discussing it on facebook was not allowable. She was also in a position and quite within her rights to ask if she could, or indeed if she should discuss it in this way.

My honest opinion on this is she was just totally stupid. Unfortunately, it seems to be a case of she probably engaged her mouth before she engaged her brain, which is not a good idea in most circumstances.

Also, and forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm sure I read that she actually knew she was doing wrong; because one of her comments on facebook was that she was deleting all her posts on the subject.

"Fraill: Can't get anyone to go either no one budging pleeeeeese don't say anything cause Jamie they could mmiss trial and I will get 4cked too."

A direct quote from her online convo with the acquitted defendant. She didn't misunderstand anythimg. She knew full well she wasn't allowed to discuss the trial outside of the jury room. It's always sad when a mother goes to jail, but she deliberately, with full knowledge it was wrong, broke the law.

Djbrenton

I thought the saying went: the more intelligent you are the less common sense you have!  :P  ;D

Certainly that is the case with my daughter. She is a very intelligent person, took exams for a hobby in her spare time passing with A grades and distinctions. However, she certainly lives up to her hair colour at times and she does make me laugh at some of the most silly things she say or does on occasion.  :)

I have to say that I can't really feel sorry for this woman, having been in many court rooms (not as a criminal I must add!  :o ) there is no excuse for her not knowing or not having the ability to find out what she should or should not do.

Was jail the right course for her? That is probably a mute point. She had to be put up as an example in order to show others that you cannot just flout the law. Also she cost the legal system (and as a result us too) a lot of money. On the other hand putting her in jail at the tax payers expense? Is that really the right option either? Then again would community service have been seen as a soft option and sent out the wrong message to others so they think 'well she got away with it lightly'?

QUITE. Djbrenton

Furthermore, she was discussing the case with another defendant, albeit an acquitted one.

It would have been bad enough had she been discussing the case with friends or the public in general. That is not allowed either. But to discuss it with someone who had been in the court as a defendant in the same case? The mind just boggles at the shear stupidity/arrogance (I really don't know what to call  it) of the woman.