The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-27
TRIAL BY JURY.

The press throughout the country is just
now more or less engaged in discussing the
Jury system. Objection is made IN one quar-
ter to the requirement that the twelve men
constituting the Jury shall agree to a YER
dict. Others denounce the method in vogue
for selecting Jurors; others would abolish
the Jury system entirely, while others main
tain that the system as it exists is as near
right as human wisdom can devise. We are
of the opinion that the system OF selecting
Jurors could be improved readily and materi-
ally. AS now practiced the methodist offer pre-
mium for ignorance and stupidity, illiteracy
and its surroundings. Take for example any
case the more notorious the better, as an
illustration, and il will emphasize the de-
claratiou that ignorance is in demand when
it is to be tried. IT should be remembered
that this is a newspaper age. The circum-
stances attending the commission of any
crime are widely published. All the facts
are at once obtained and sent broadcast
throughout the community. Discussion is
active. Upon such information as the press
affords people form and express opinions.
Among intelligent men this is universal.
Men who read can not avoid it. Nor is it re-
CURED that they should. There may be
minor offenses which escape criticism, which
are of such small importance as to create
neither curiosity nor comment, but such is
not the case where the crime is important
and the parties involved. or any of them, are
well known in the community. Well, the
case is called, and the Court proceeds to i'm
panel Jury. In the first place the Court
ard attorney inquire if the candidate for
Jury responsibilities has formed or expressed
an opinion in regard to the case. If he has
formed OF expressed an opinion he is ordered
to stand aside, and thus the thing
goes on, wedding out men of char
acter and intelligence, until the
bedrock of ignorance of matters of the high
est importance to society is reached, and
when the Jury is complete the Court and the
people are permitted to contemplate twelve
men who never heard OF the case, or never
took any trouble to know any of its PARTON
lars; who never entertained nor expressed an
| opinion about it; who, in fact, know nothing
about it, and have at no time cared anything
about it. Suppose, for instance, a tramp
enters the Office of the Governor of Indiana
and shoots him dead in his chair. The GRIM
inal is arrested, indicted and brought to trial.
Every body, one would suppose, had read
every particular, and made up their mind as
to the atrociousness of the crime Still,
when the trial came on, only those who had
neither formed nor expressed an opinion
could serve on the Jury. After great delay
the required number of citizens is found.
They had never so much as thought or said
that the crime was right or wrong. Possibly
some of them never heard of ii. They did
not take the papers-possibly they had never
learned to read. They took no interest in
public affairs, and lived in blissful ignorance
of passing events. There they are in the Jury
box. Theirignorsnce is established beyond all
question or cavil; twelve of the most igno
rant and stupid members of society are re
quired to decide intricate questions of Law
and evidence, and condemn or acquit the
person charged with the crime. Quite fire.