Monday, July 15, 2013

Zimmerman Verdict - No Jury Diversity Means Fair Trials Impossible

If your child is followed by a man with a gun, who then pursues him or her on foot -- then kills them with that gun, maybe then --and only then--you will see why this "not guilty" verdict" is so wrong on so many levels.

The verdict justifies false assumptions about people based solely on their color. It justifies pursuit of any innocent person walking the streets - even if it kills them while they are unarmed. It justifies bigotry and violence. It justified a killing of a seventeen year old walking home from the store with only skittles as a weapon.

The verdict shows that the lack of jury diversity makes fair trials impossible in America -- or anywhere.

It was a jury of all WHITE WOMEN  --As much as I love and respect women this is not "a jury of peers" as required under the law.  Not one man. Not one person of color.

The same problem would  exist if it were a jury of all white MEN or ALL BLACK MEN judging the fate of a white guy killing a 17 year old black boy.

I knew when the jury was selected how the verdict would go.

One sided juries are NOT an American justice value.

America has always been special because we are a just people. We are a fair people. Our jury system is fair and honest when it includes members of the entire community, not just one race or sex.

By its nature a jury of clones lacks the insight and experiences of our fellow citizens who are equally part of our world - whether Asian, Hispanic, African, you-name-it - all equal Americans under the law.

Not one man was on the Zimmerman jury panel. Not one African. Not one black mother, father, son, daughter...Only six white women.

That is not fair or balanced.

Juries must be diverse for justice to work. If  you are a white woman, would you want a jury of six Black or Hispanic MEN making the decision about your guilt  If juries aren't diverse we invite prejudice and limited life experiences making life-or-death decisions.

If that happens we lose our justice-for-all system that has made us special in the world --a world in which justice is seldom fair or balanced.


Make Future Juries Diverse. Stop encouraging false assumptions and hunting people based on their color.

Humans are not animals to be hunted by vigilantes. Equality and Justice is the Global American Way..

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