Jury Duty stamp coming in September June 21, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law , trackback
If I could choose the postage stamps for my office, I’d pick these, which honor “a vital facet of American democracy.”
USPS - The 2007 Commemorative Stamp Program
Jury Duty
“[U]nder the U.S. Constitution, the American jury system guarantees citizens the right to a trial by a jury of their peers.
Generally, in criminal cases, 12 jurors stand between the accused and the power of the government. Unless the government convinces a jury of the accused person’s guilt — beyond a reasonable doubt — it may not deprive a citizen of life, liberty, or property. . . .
In the American colonies, juries showed their reluctance to convict under oppressive British laws. . . . The British retaliated against American juries by setting up special courts in which jury trials were not used. The Declaration of Independence contains a complaint against the British king ‘for depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury.’ ”
Comments»
no comments yet - be the first?