The 12 Angry men: Are they always right?
Recently I came across a thread http://qatarliving.com/node/1722803
which shows that in a modern democracy like the United States there are 50 executions each year! Isn't that strange!...When you think about the numbers of executions in countries with a sound juicial system and which retains the capital punishment,the figures in USA are quite intriguing!
Compare it with India....where human life is cheap, the rate of crime is equal if not more, and a population of 3 times that of the US- India executed only 1 person since 1995. And thats a remarkable statistics given that India is a third world country with a mediocre human rights record! In India the state has a policy that 'Under no circumstances a man should be punished for a crime he did not commit'
Ensuring the above often leads to acquittal of some of the guilty people. But this is a price that we are prepared to pay to save an innocent.
And the judgement is handed out by a trained judge or panel of trained judges, and not by a jury comprised of ordinary citizens whose mind may be prejudiced and many of them forgets that they are supposed to give their judgement based exclusively on the facts,figures and evidences produced in the courtroom and not by his background or his race or religion.
Reflecting on this issue forced me to think about a movies and stories on this subject....
12 Angry men
A time to kill
In both these stories the jury happened to arrive at the correct decision at the end....but these are stories only! In reality I doubt whether the jury always comes out with the correct decision or Not?
In these story they argue about innocence or guilty based on 'reasonable doubt'...but who defines the meaning of 'reasonable doubt' to a real jury? We all know how it's meaning changes inside a prejudiced mind!
So is it right to send someone to the chair based on the judgement of 12 untrained people? And is it not possible out of the 50 executions that took place last year at least a few of them didn't deserve to die?
I may be wrong but it's just a question that came to my mind!
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
I wish India was conquered by the chinese. They already started, they lost part of Kashmire.
I wish India was part of the USA. Just leave the Doctors behind. Keep the scientist only.
I wish the Soviets would annex India during the cold war.
During the cold war, India was partially a communist state.
I wish India was ruled by the Nazis. Population control is needed urgently.
I wish The Japanese had Invaded India in total force,
They did indeed, If it wasn't for the allies HELPING the Indians in stopping the JAPS during WW2.
I wish the British would never Conquer India,
ITHINK THEY WERE INVITED for a cup of tea.
I wish Napoleon would invaded India,
He try too, he choose Egypt.
I wISH only the crusaders would conquer India,
I wish only Attila the hun, would over run and conquer India,
I wish the romans would conquer and slave India.
I wish Alexander would continue the conquest of India,
THOSE GREEKS FELL IN LOVE WITH THOSE EXOTIC LADIES!
Mutants are already dominating India, you just don't know that.
edifis yes the same, Innocent man is real story of two guys who escaped death but these two guys are still on death row.
Legal_Pad you are talking about India of the 19th century. This is the 21st century! Were you in coma for many days?
India already have established on its own ways the "Death Penalty."
1- By allowng the Social Cast system to determine the future of social groups.
2- They are the worst offenders, when it comes to pollution.
3- Cows have more rigts than humans. They are worshipped and consider sacred, When famine strikes, people die by the thousands.
4- There is no Woman rights,they are literally executed daily.
no need to continue, the list keeps going on and on.
They are not always right, but I will take a trial by a jury my peers over summary judgments from judges any day.
I agree, the system of investigation and of judgement can be and should be improved. Perhaps the way of conducting the hearings in the courtroom should be changed in order to completely eliminate the “emotional” impact on the jury. As it said, only proved facts and evidences should be taken into consideration… But again, it depends on the crime. If there is any chance for rehabilitation, then yes, the system should do everything to try to return to society mentally healthy person, after the person has comleted in full his/her sentence and after going through intensive rehabilitation program.. but.. If some serial killer is sitting in front of you, who brutally murdered 10-12 innocent teenagers, torturing them before killing… hhhmmm, it is impossible to avoid emotional “side effect”, and sorry edifes, there is no any other punishment for such mental freak, but to be executed, preferably with torturing prior to execution…
Don’t say, "I think nobody has the right to give some one a death penalty...whatever the crime is".. as it is known, the closer you are to the victim, the more you will be inclined to want the death penalty.
We all have our beliefs.
I go for the "eye for an eye" . Its cheaper and the victim gets closure..
I mean most people here believe that life is given by God...so how is the state authorized to take it? And before giving a verdict on a death row it should be considered that it is irreversible!
I think nobody has the right to give some one a death penalty...whatever the crime is. It is tantamount to murder.
Brit...don't you find the conviction rate too high especially for the death row?
Twelve good men and true.
It is the only way we have at present to determine the fair outcome of a trial.
What worries me more is the use of body language experts, coaches and others to influence the jury.
Rishimba can you give the link to that list.
WK isn't that the book from which John Grisham got the idea of 'the innocent man'?
one must compare the per capita execution rates. US is not appearing high in that list..
Search "Dreams of Ada" or Ward and Fontenot to know how innocent men end up on death row.
Happens everywhere though, innocent men getting punished for crimes not committed by them and criminals getting away. Too many legal loopholes to exploit in every system.