CS - Juries

• Bushell's Case (1670)


  Secrecy of the jury room - a jury refused to convict Quaker activists. The jury makes the decision on the facts and the judge must not challenge that decision.
• Ponting's Case (1984)


  Jury equity - a civil servant leaked information despite signing official secrets act. Jury refused to convict him even though the judge ruled he had no defence. A jury is independent and may decide cases on the bases of fairness and its decision cannot be challenged.
• Mirza (2004)


  Secrecy - one juror complained that other jurors had shown racial bias in coming to their decision. Discussions in the jury room are secret and Court will not normally inquire into them.
• Young (1985)


  Secrecy - four jurors held a seance to try to contact the murder victims. The court was able to inquire into the events as it was in a hotel where they were staying and not in the jury room discussions.
• Kronlid (1996)


  Perverse decisions - a group of peace campaigners admitted causing damage to a Hawk jet fighter but pleaded guilty on the basis they were protecting innocent lives. The jury acquitted them.
• Karakaya (2005)


  Secrecy - juror did an internet search on defendant and brought a print-out of results to jury room. The court could inquire into this as outside information had been used in the jury room.
• Twomey (2009)


  Jury tampering - there was a serious attempt at interfering with the jury and 3 previous trials had collapsed. Section 44 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 applied and a retrial was ordered by judge alone.
• Taylor and Taylor (1993)


  Media influence - two sisters were charged with murder. Some newspapers published still photos taken from a video that gave a false impression of what happened.
• Sander (2000)


  Bias - one juror had written a note to the judge raising concerns that other jurors had been making racist remarks.