The topics of jury selection and appearance, the jurors understanding of their significance, and the deliberation and verdict will be examined for the three juries.
The actual jury itself, has much bearing on how a verdict will result. .
Are the members compassionate? Rigid? Black? White? Rich? or Poor? All of these factors can influence a jury; this is why lawyers are so critical when making their decisions. In the past, juries only admitted white males, as in 12 Angry Men. Discrimination against blacks has always existed; and until the fifteenth amendment was passed, and the Grandfather Clause, White Primaries, and literacy test were declared unconstitutional, they could not vote. Women, although the population's majority, were the last to be given suffrage rights. .
The men in the movie seemed affluent and business-like. Some of the men came from meager backgrounds, yet they all act as if they were solvent. Also, the men were adorned with professional attire. In contrast, Inside the Jury Room chose a group of jurors of mixed ethnic backgrounds and genders, in various occupational settings. There were psychiatrists, teachers, and business people with many different life experiences. Also, the dress was not at all formal. .
The differences among the jurors contributed greatly to the insight and opinions shared about the case. A psychiatrist was able to give her professional opinion on the man's condition, mental retardation, while others could be more objective. A well-rounded jury can, in my opinion, produce a more educated and thought-out verdict. In the simulated jury, the jurors were selected randomly and personal opinions and biases, were not considered. This affected the.
decision tremendously. The majority of Maymester students are reverse-transfer.
students and tend to be, statistically, more conservative and tough than normal.
community college students. Ergo, the verdict was not fairly considered from a.