I don't understand why people say things like "I'm sorry" at sentencing hearings in order to get leniency. If those people were truly "sorry," wouldn't part of being sorry mean they'd want to be punished for their crimes? I mean, if someone is indeed guilty AND sorry, wouldn't that person DEMAND to be jailed for a long time, as a symbol of remorse?
I bring this up because I was actually on a jury once where we found a guy guilty of attempted murder. He begged for mercy during the sentencing phase by claiming he was "sorry." Some jurors were feeling sorry for him until I explained this line of logic to them. "Let's help him express his sorrow," I said.
It worked; he won't be paroled for at least 55 years. But I mean, realistically, he wasn't "sorry" about the crime. He was "sorry" he got caught, but that's it.
Why do some idiot jurors actually fall for sob stories and apologies?
2007-10-06
16:39:38
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9 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
in
Law & Ethics