How Far Does a Jury’s Duty Go?

After reading the first paragraphs of Lara Bazelon’s Oct. 27 commentary, “Sometimes, Jurors Have to Take a Stand and Say, ‘No, Not in Our Name,’ ” I couldn’t figure out how a jury would not convict after an admission of guilt.

However, after reading the facts and circumstances of the case, I applaud the four jurors who refused, and wonder about the eight who didn’t.

Now if our government, from the president on down, would only seek out the facts before acting on their preconceived notions, we would be far better off, and certainly would not be mired down in the bottomless pit in Iraq.

Michael Belson

Studio City

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Because there are literally hundreds of laws that I would never vote to convict on, I was thinking of printing up a T-shirt that said, “Jury Nullification: It’s not just a right, it’s an obligation,” and wearing it the next time I get called to jury duty. On the back I was going to print, “Contempt of Court: Just means you are paying attention.”

Jerry Parsons

Long Beach

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Despite prosecutors, judges, police, etc. and all their legal studies, it is interesting how easily they forget that the foundation of our democracy and of their proper powers is entirely the people -- as voters and as jurors. Jurors, please be informed!

Neal Donner

Los Angeles

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The criminal fessed up to the crime, so it does not make sense that there is a need for a jury. Public defender Bazelon is jubilant that somebody who ripped off Social Security (i.e., all of us) got away with it through the help, a.k.a. aiding and abetting, of the jury’s solidarity.

This is sad, disgusting and outrageous! This is encouraging followers.

Don Krause

Los Angeles

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Serving as a jury foreperson was a real eye-opener for me. I agree with this commentary in that the more of what is known to the jury about how the case has evolved benefits a just outcome. But just how much of this background information reaches the jury is another matter entirely. As we have seen in high-profile cases, there is much about evidentiary rulings and pretrial motions that is out of earshot of the jurors.

Often we are relegated to trying to connect the dots, which is difficult if we are instructed not to speculate.

Still, not many of us are even aware that there is this option. I’ve never seen the option of juror nullification in any juror instructions that I was given.

Perhaps this is something that should be legislated into the penal or civil procedure code. Maybe even allowing some witnesses to answer submitted questions from the jury?

Dan Mariscal

Montebello