The+Jury+System

The American Jury System

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The Impartial Jury Lesson: The Fugitive Student Resources

** In the Newspapers **

Editorials from the St. Louis Star

July 4, 1954, PROMINENT DOCTOR’S WIFE SLAIN. Marilyn Blanchard, wife of Paul Blanchard, was beaten to death last night in the upstairs bedroom of their home in Bay Village. Mr. Blanchard told the police that he had been dozing in his living room when he was awakened by his wife’s screams. He ran upstairs and claims to have found someone in their bedroom. At that moment, he says, the intruder knocked him unconscious for a few minutes. When Blanchard awoke, he maintains, he found his wife was dead. Among the first people informed of Marilyn’s death was Mayor Houk of Bay Village, who immediately went to the Blanchard residence to comfort the doctor. Shortly thereafter, Blanchard, in shock, was taken to the hospital and placed under heavy sedation.

July 7, 1954, BLANCHARD REFUSES TO RESPOND TO POLICE QUESTIONING. Claiming that he was still shaken by his wife’s murder, Paul Blanchard again refused to talk to the police today. One man Blanchard did speak to today was Bailey F. Larson, notorious lawyer for mobsters in this area.

July 15, 1954, WHAT KIND OF MAN IS PAUL BLANCHARD? Apparently Paul Blanchard, most recently playing the role of the grieving husband, led a pretty active life. Interviews with reliable sources revealed that Blanchard had had sexual relations with numerous women. In fact, it was learned that a female convict has claimed that Blanchard is the father of their illegitimate child. Marilyn Blanchard is alleged to have described her husband as a "Jekyll and Hyde".

July 20, 1954, SOMEBODY IS GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER. Is it possible that the Blanchard case is going nowhere fast because the good doctor has too many friends in high places? Could it be that Paul Blanchard has so much influence with the Mayor, his close friend, that some kind of deal has been struck? Isn’t it strange that no inquest (medical exam to determine the cause of death) has been ordered? Could it be that such a brutal beating will be termed death by natural causes? It is quite obvious that Blanchard has made no effort to cooperate with the police. Let’s get the ball rolling ... someone is guilty of the crime ...perhaps he is right under the noses of the police.

July 28, 1954, WHY ISN’T PAUL BLANCHARD IN JAIL? Now proven to be a liar under oath ..., still free to go about his business ..., shielded by his family ..., protected by a smart lawyer ..., carrying a gun part of the time ..., left free to do as he wishes ... This is Paul Blanchard.

July 30, 1954, FINALLY BLANCHARD JAILED! At long last, Paul Blanchard was arrested this evening, charged with the murder of his wife.


 * DUE PROCESS RIGHTS **

//Sheppard v. Maxwell// (1966) I Nearly 12 years after his trial, the U.S. Supreme Court set aside the conviction of Sam Sheppard. The Court pointed out the impossibility of securing a fair trial for a defendant when there has been so much publicity attacking the defendant and the publicity has reached a significant number of people in the community. Specifically, the court said: "Had the judge, the other officers of the court and the police placed the interest of justice first, the news media would have soon learned to be content with the task of reporting the case as it unfolded in the courtroom -- not pieced together by listening to gossip around town. Due process requires that the accused receive a trial by an impartial jury, free from outside influences. Given the pervasiveness of modern communications and the difficulty of erasing prejudicial publicity from the minds of the jurors, the trial courts must take strong measures to ensure that the balance is never weighed against the accused."



Voir Dire -Creating the Jury
When people respond to a jury summons, they gather at the court house to form a pool of potential jurors from which they are called in groups for specific criminal or civil trials. There they are questioned by attorneys for each side and/or the trial judge about their background, life experiences, and opinions to determine whether they can weigh the evidence fairly and objectively. This process is called voir dire, an Anglo-French term meaning "to speak the truth."

Before being placed on a jury, potential jurors are required to complete a questionnaire that is reviewed by both the judge and the lawyers. This helps ensure that empaneled jury is as fair and impartial as possible. ( A sample questionnaire is provided below.)

**Student Name** __**Juror #**__

__ 1. What is your ethnic background? (same as your own) ___

2. What is your gender? (same as your own)

3. Create a name _

4. Create an age

__ 5. Create an occupation ___

__ 6. Create your family situation (married, children, etc.) ___

**PLEASE FILL OUT QUESTIONNAIRE:**

1. How do you feel about people of foreign decent living in the United States?

2. Do you think police officers are generally trustworthy?

3. Could you judge a person fairly if they had a past criminal record?

4. How do you feel about extra-marital affairs?

5. What is your attitude towards drug use?

6. Could you judge a gang member fairly in a criminal case?

7. How trustworthy do you think religious leaders are?

8. Have you ever been a victim of a crime?

9. What are your attitudes towards teenagers/young adults?

10. Do you have any biases against people of different ethnic backgrounds than your own?

11. Do you really believe that accused people are innocent until proven guilty?