Whenever I watch a show chronicling some sort of horrific crime, I always think about how I’d hate to be one of those jurors.  Deciding someone’s fate and trying to figure out the real facts of a case can be overwhelming and I have a propensity to be swayed by both sides of the argument.  Just when I think I believe the prosecution, I hear some good points from the defense that makes me believe maybe the defendant is innocent.

I’ve always been able to see both sides of an argument and though I do choose sides, it’s not so much a logical decision as it is an emotional one.  I am deeply affected by my personal opinion of someone and that may color my judgement of their actions.  Try as I might, if I don’t like someone, it’s just too easy to see them doing bad things (the opposite is true as well).  Suddenly it’s not just about the empiric evidence and personality becomes a factor – a big no-no.

I don’t know if I’d ever be comfortable sentencing someone to a guilty verdict if there was any sort of defense that could be built.  It’s just too easy to see how maybe, just maybe, things really did look different than what they were.  But for a clear-cut case with undeniable visual/auditory evidence and a guilty plea, I don’t know if I’d ever be fully convinced that someone actually did commit the crime they’re accused of.  My dread of performing my civic duty is just because I feel I would be a terrible juror, leading to a mistrial or hung jury each time.  Thankfully I’ve only gotten one summons and never got called in that week.  I’m not looking forward to finding out just how easily swayed and indecisive I can be when someone’s future hangs in the balance.