Jurors becoming more skeptical of judicial system

ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – Some say it’s the Ferguson effect on the justice system. Prosecuting attorneys are running into more and more potential jurors expressing skepticism over the justice system.

“People who come to jury duty are more skeptical than they used to be,” said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Chief Trial Assistant Beth Orwick.

If the skepticism means a potential juror cannot be fair and impartial, the juror will be dismissed. Orwick says trials have been delayed while the effort to seat a fair and impartial jury continued.

“What we need are people to come to jury duty,” said Orwick. “The system only works when citizens become part of the process.”

“What happens is you get people who automatically refuse to believe police officer testimony,” said St. Louis criminal defense attorney Joel Schwartz said.

Schwartz says many of the skeptical jurors dismissed are African-American, making it more difficult for an African-American client to be judged by a jury of his or her peers.

Orwick believes recent skepticism from potential jurors stretches beyond racial lines. She hopes St. Louis residents called for jury duty will take the call seriously. She says if people are not willing to participate in the process, the process will come to a halt.

http://fox2now.com/2015/02/09/jurors-becoming-more-skeptical-of-judicial-system/