Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-12-15
JURIES STILL PICKED
AS IN DAYS OF OLD


For years it has been stated that
only men who knew nothing were
eligible to serve on juries. While
this assertion is a trifle exaggerated
it is safe to say that in days of a few
years a-back there was always a de-
sire upon the part of both prosecution
and defense to pick jurors who chad
never heard of the case" and whose
mind was, so to speak, an open blank
with the accumulation on the blank
Somehow or other attorneys seemed
to feel that an intelligent man would
be wholly out of place hearing evil
dence, mentally weighing it, and then
giving his fair and unbiased decision
in the jury room.
In Orlando there has recently been
tried a case where an automobile
with a sober driver ran down and
killed an old man. When the accident
occurred the papers gave lUprid ac-
counts Of the tragedy; not especial
ly because the editors desired to
spread any CHASTITY details, but be-
cause the readers were anxious to
learn every detail of the affair Had
the papers kept silent regarding the
accident there would have gone out
the cry: eyes, the papers are trying
to shield someone!"
When the case came to trial one of
the daily papers was somewhat
scorched by the court because Of the
fact that details of the accident had
been told and retoId and re-retold,
and there were few people to be
found who were not conversant with
all details SO far as a reported could
get them. The court appeared to
think, and possibly his views were
shared by the attorneys for the one
side or the other, that the jury box
was no place for a man who could
and would read, a man who. kept
abreast of the times, a man whose
mentality was above the average the
world over.
That is one of the antiquated ideas
regarding the selection of a jury
which has been handed down for dec
AIDES. 1t has never struck the brain
of the average court that the lawyers
who are engaged upon the case are
biased; that they have not only read
'the papers," but have talked with
the principals in the affair so far as
possible. Frequently the court itself
has read all about the case and pos
sibly has formed an opinion" If |
the jurors must be rhen of the igno- |
rant class, why should not the attor-
neys and the judge be selected from |
the same category?
Chances are good that no judge has /
ever sat on. a case of great note who |
was totally unbiased If it is a case
of serious criminality the judge has
learned all about it, and from the evil
dence at hand he has formed a men
tai picture of the entire affair. Yet
he can conduct he case in "fair and |
impartial manner" and it is possible
that before the conclusion of the trial |
he has had cause to completely switch
MS former theory and is actually,
of course, upon another
,ack in his conclusions. Yet no Grim !
nal would care to go to trial before
. judge who was not we'll informed,
'rainy, clever, and of even mind. 1t
would be bad for him.
The jury box needs the best class
f citizens-regardless Of whether
ach man has read of the case, or
alked it over, or discussed the mer-
Is ana dement's of all details. The
Fighter Drained and the better in
ormed a man can be the better jury
lan will he prove. His decision may
ewholly adverse to his belief-but
e "goes by the evidence" and al II
hOugh he may acquit and yet believe {
l his mind the defendant is guilty as Ic
harged, he knows that he has carried t
ut his oath of office. It is more Y
ian probable the ignorant man can v
ot do this; his mind is too narrow to r
low evidence to outweigh his innate IA
lief.
Papers print the news of all events a
cause the readers wish the infor- II
alton. If siekening details are along o
the story there must be no omis-