Comments on: The Railroading Continues

By: Justthisguy

Justthisguy — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:20:47 +0000

Here’s a quote from a grumpy old ex-cop: “I certainly believe it’s over for the jury system, but we won’t admit it for a while.”

- Joseph Wambaugh, found at brainyquote.com

By: pam

pam — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:55:34 +0000

I’m involved in the Brett Jones case in Mississippi. I’ve read the viore dire and more than half of the jury members had relatives, close relatives, friends and neighbors in law enforcement. There was no response when asked if that would influence their decision. In fact, the wife of a promiment member of local law enforcement a Tupelo special operations officer was chosen for the jury. When asked is anyone was related to law enforement she did not respond. When she was challenged, the judge allowed her on basically poo pooing the fact she didn’t respond saying he didn’t know why she didn’t respond because she had responded on other occasions, then he said, oh yea, she did respond he remembered cause she was sitting with a group of 4 or 5 in the back corner who all were related to law enforement. IMHO, the jury was stacked with law enforcement relatives.

The jury was also informed by the prosecutor that it was not a death penalty case, making the jury more likely to convict knowing he would not receive death but would be free to imagine a lighter sentence or some sort of situation where the judge would take into account a proper sentence for a barely 15 year old child.

This was a trial where everyone seemed to be going through the motions. The judge seemed to be in a hurry to get it overwith and if fact made reference to having it done by Friday. It only took 2-1/2 days to take this child’s life. It didn’t seem to matter if they got anything right or not, just get it overwith in a speedy manner and who cares the outcome.

The judge is still stalling, refusing to sign off on the post conviction relief and schedule a bond hearing. He didn’t believe the court was saying what it said, even though the statute gives them the authority to grant all relief asked for in the motion, which they did. It’s been a month since the pcr was granted yet nothing has been done to move this boy out of prison.

have relatives, close relatives
9 or otherwise who are in law enforcement?
friends and neighbors who are in law
13 enforcement?
no one responded when asked if it would influence them.is a prominent member
3 of local law enforcement, when asked is anyone was related to law enforement she did not respond. When she was challenged, the judge allowed her on basically poo pooing the fact she didn’t respond when asked.

The jury was all white and many who had been called up in the initial jury call had been on murder trial juries previously and had convicted. Most were released. But what are the chances of that happening? I mean I don’t know anyone who has been on a murder trial. His pcr attorney thought it was a bit suspicious.

By: Bronwyn

Bronwyn — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:04:37 +0000

I’m with Nathan on this. This case and Cory Maye’s case both make me ill and I’m finding it extremely difficult to be optimistic.

By: FP

FP — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:42:22 +0000

Oh the irony, this being in Virginia, home of “Sic Semper Tyrannis”.

By: Lloyd Flack

Lloyd Flack — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:32:27 +0000

What people who talk about letting the courts decide seem to think think that if an innocent person is put on trial and acquitted then no harm has been done. Putting an innocent person through the ordeal of a trial is doing a great deal of harm. Many prosecutors seem to be blind to this. Willfully blind I think. There needs to be a much better system for weeding out weak cases before trial.

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:42:54 +0000

This really comes as no surprise. In medieval Japan, peasants who dared stand up to samauri were instantly beheaded.

It is now AD 2008 and nothing has changed.

By: supercat

supercat — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:18:13 +0000

Resistance to TYRANTS is OBEDIENCE to God (Jefferson)

By: Greg C.

Greg C. — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:31:37 +0000

People should lie to get on juries then, I guess.

By: Troy

Troy — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:11:43 +0000

Voir dire really is pre-trial jury stacking for the State. The court specifically asks whether there is anyone who thinks the drug war is bullshit. He doesn’t use that language, of course. But the idea that you get a pool of people that is representative of the community is just a bald face fucking lie.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:42:39 +0000

For some reason this case, moreso than others, just makes me sick to my stomach.

Is there any hope for him?

By: Tokin42

Tokin42 — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:38:24 +0000

What a shame. The judge who signed the warrant and the dead cops fellow officers are just as much at fault, if not more, as this poor kid. I keep hoping someone in that dept will come to their senses and realize the terror they’re putting Frederick through by continuing this pathetic attempt to cover their asses and call off the scapegoat hunt. I don’t think anyone really knows enough to say this kid deserves a get-out-of-jail-free card but this case has already turned into a big pile of shit for the prosecutor and he knows it.

By: MassHole

MassHole — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:17:30 +0000

I hear what you’re saying. I’m sure they’ll have no trouble finding some “law and order” rubes. Hope springs eternal though. Maybe some liberty minded locals will hide their distrust of the police in order to get on the jury. I know I would if I actually wanted to be picked.

By: Matt Moore

Matt Moore — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:15:11 +0000

frederick better get ahold of gerry spence – and get the trial moved to idaho – if he wants any chance at all.

Wasn’t there a prosecutor involved in this case that wanted to move the trial because she felt a local jury would sympathize with Frederick? I might be thinking of a different case.

By: e. brown

e. brown — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:51:20 +0000

oh c’mon, masshole. you don’t honestly think they won’t eject ANYone “suspicious of the cops” in pre-trial jury stacking? (“voir dire”)

“they wouldn’t have gone to arrest him if he wasn’t guilty! we learned that in school!”

frederick better get ahold of gerry spence – and get the trial moved to idaho – if he wants any chance at all.

By: MassHole

MassHole — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:40:35 +0000

At least the majority of the comments on the article are sticking up for Fredrick and are suspicious of the cops story to say the least. Hopefully that will translate into a fair jury pool.

By: Zeb

Zeb — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:39:21 +0000

At least around here, taking drugs out of one bag and putting them into another counts as “manufacturing”. I think there is still some threshold weight, though.

By: Cappy

Cappy — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:26:15 +0000

Manufacturing of marijuana? Um, where?

By: Mike Leatherwood

Mike Leatherwood — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:21:29 +0000

Indicted on:
1. Capital murder…ok….Cop was killed (under suspect circumstances)..
2.Gun used..Ummm…yes.
3. Manufacture of marijuana???? When? What evidence, other than Creepio the Snitch?

Am hoping the jury is truly intelligent on this one. And am hoping Ryan’s lawyer is a good one and doesn’t get too focused on trivial matters.