Is this Murder? Kelly Thomas Killed by Fullerton, CA Police Officers

[Pat/Ohio]

It sure looks that way. Sometimes these cases really get to me. So many parent's of missing kids don't even have to speak or tell what they did w/their child, like Casey. Another one that walked. It's disgusting to hear how a first time drug offense can get a person 15-20 years when a death or missing child case can walk away. There's such little regard for human life anymore & no respect for the justice system. Seems like if you have the means to find a top notch attorney & some money...there's not much penalty. If you're poor, homeless or black--forget it, you don't stand a chance. It's scary to think of the people that have to depend on some strangers to decide their fate. I used to think only guilty people were put in jail...IDK how controlled witnesses are on the stand & anything said the lawyers don't know about, just doesn't fly. People raise their right hand & get on the stand & LIE, WTH? I've really lost faith in our courts.

[HairOfTheDog]

I think there is some merit to the concept of professional juries.

What I'd like to see first is professionally conducted research.

For example, take 100 different cases that were tried with juries of defendants' peers and present the same testimony and the same evidence (presented by the same attorneys) to a professional jury.

This could be done with cases that were fully taped, as many are now. Compare the peer verdicts to the professional verdicts.

It would be interesting and important, to me, to learn how often and why the final outcomes differed between the two.

[Pat/Ohio]

That's an excellent idea. I think most juror's are there for the right reasons but so many later say they didn't understand. Sometimes the answers they get are even more confusing & lawyers & Judges should realize that & try to answer in plain english, KWIM? So many have camera's in there too & it might help when the jury goes to deliberate if the Judge could then follow & answer any immediate questions, etc..maybe asking w/o camera's would help the jury as well. I realize they aren't shown but I imagine they still feel the pressure in a high profile case. I like the state's that allow the jury to submit questions after each witness too. I think that helps alot to ask right away & not have to go from notes later on. So many things are kept from the jury too..prejudice against the accused. I just don't get that, looks like it would be evidence to me. I guess I don't follow why we should worry that certain things would be "bad" for the person on trial. In minor cases, maybe it wouldn't matter so much but in a murder case...it sounds more like doing that protects the one on trial.
The day after the verdict, one of the cops asked for his job back. They're most likely going to give it to him too since the verdict was NG & they found no wrong doing by these cops. I'd sure hate to be beaten like that or see one of my kids treated that way. I'd bet money this isn't just a one-time thing either. I hate to say it, but I think there's a number of cops out there that push people around because they can. I just can't explain how a jury finds that acceptable.

[Cynical Ninja]

In the UK the jury are sacred, no one outside the court ever knows who they are, they aren't allowed to give interviews about the trial they were involved with ever. They operate in an anonymous protected inpenetrable bubble.

[Duchess]

no one outside the court ever knows who they are

I often think that's how it should be here.

[Cynical Ninja]

no one outside the court ever knows who they are

I often think that's how it should be here.

It should, everything in America is a show, the legal justice system shouldn't be a show.