I do not agree that our justice system worked yesterday when the jury was hung. What it really showed is there are flaws in the system even though it works most of the time.
If anything, it shows at times it doesn't work, and victims are robbed of the just punishment that should have been handed down for their murderer.
Having one juror thwart justice should bother us all. We cannot have jurors who refuse to deliberate nor even listen to the other side of the discussion. Of all jurors, those who are on DP cases must be more honest than anyone imo. They cant say they can apply the DP if warranted and soon into deliberations say the death penalty is for 'revenge.' If they truly believe such BS then they need to step up to the plate in jury selection and state that on their questionnaire and in voir dire so that other truly death penalty qualified jurors can sit in judgment of a death penalty case. Biased jurors taints our justice system.
I don't think any of the other 11 were biased one way or the other going in but they respected the law and the oath they took. They weren't 11 for death at first. They knew no matter how hard... if death was appropriate they knew they had to seriously consider it based upon all the factors in the case. Not only did #17 refuse to even consider it in the deliberations she told them the death penalty is about revenge. That is pure bias and a closed off point of view. One she couldn't even explain to her fellow jurors nor even attempted to do.
As far as the juror discussing the movie there again it shows she was bringing in things that are not allowed to be discussed. Several jurors have been dismissed for bring outside information into the jury deliberation room and they were dismissed.
These one lone wolf holdouts are destroying our court system. She, like others was going to show the other jurors that she could draw a line in the sand and not crossover it. That has nothing to do with justice or even engaging in deliberations. That is nothing but bullheadedness like a petulant child would do.
What I think needs to happen is each state should go by the majority vote in DP cases. Many times we see the just punishment denied due to one lone vote. One vote out of 12 people should never hold justice hostage and that is what happened yesterday. I have a feeling from the moment she was selected she knew which way she would vote. She knew if everyone else voted for death she would be the one to spar JAs life.
It gives me little comfort that JA will be sentenced to life. The hung jury shouldn't have happened especially the way it did. This juror should have been removed just like other jurors have been removed from a death penalty case in the past.
Imo, JA should have been heading for death row once the sentence is finalized. That is what she deserved and she should be on death row.
Its like having to settle for less when the right sentence was ripped away from Travis and his family. I think it will even be harder on his family to reconcile knowing how close they were in their long fight for justice to put her where she truly belongs.
Its wrong that one juror holds the power and the vast majority are helpless to do anything about it.
So I wish for two things:
Majority votes rule in death penalty cases.
A law that protects murdered victims from being trashed by their perpetrator based on nothing but lies.
The lawmakers finally woke up and invoked laws protecting rape victims from being put on trial. It is just as important to me or moreso that it includes defenseless homicide victims as well.
I am writing my government officials today about that one issue that needs to stop.
I'm so sick of all these media people always talking about "Jodi" I hate hearing her name. She's nothing but a murderer and that's what she should be called. When will someone talk about Travis. This guy says where the murderer is going is better than where she is at. Well hell where she is is better than where Travis is. When will someone give attention to Travis, how he suffered, how his family is still suffering.
