Federal law prohibits discrimination against an otherwise qualified person with a disability when that person could be accommodated without too much difficulty. Should this law also apply to the jury selection process?
2007-01-12 10:53:51 · 5 answers · asked by 1st time Mommy!!! :) 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
No. The reason I say this is because there are several things that a person with such a disability would not be able to percieve in certain cases, regardless of what accommodation was made. One of those are the nuances of body language that sighted people use to determine whether a person is telling the truth. For those that are deaf, tone of voice is a big issue as well. In some cases, it really doesn't matter. However, because in many it does matter, the jury selection process should not be held to such a standard. That standard would only be limiting on a person's potential freedom or conviction. Please note that color blindness is also a problem, as is religion, race, gender, sexual preference, age, and marital status! Discrimination is at the very heart of jury selection. Indeed, it is the PURPOSE of jury selection.
2007-01-12 11:05:37 · answer #1 · answered by cyanne2ak 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why not? I thought that law was uphelp for everything in this country, not when it suits the goverment. My 21 yr old son is partially blind and his hearing is excellent. A blind person on a jury may not be able to see photos, see expressions and other visual things, but their hearing is excellent. They can hear little comments made under breath while sighted people can't. They can hear the tone of a persons voice much better. Think about this, a hearing impaired person can drive a car and not hear what's around them, but their vision is usually better. And a blind person can hear much better then a sighted person. I'm amazed by things my son can hear that I can't. My son drives, but relies on his hearing to "see" if a car is coming around a curve before making a turn, he can tell you how many cars are coming, and how far away. Not bad for sight in one eye?
2007-01-12 11:18:41 · answer #2 · answered by wolfinator25840 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. In fact, you cannot disqualify a person from jury duty only because he/she is blind.
2007-01-12 11:03:22 · answer #3 · answered by David M 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
a blind person can't see the expressions the people make, can't see photographs of crime scenes, and im sure much more but seeing is essential for the bigger evidence.
2007-01-12 10:58:25 · answer #4 · answered by TJ815 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
justice is blind (suppose to be) so yeah blind people should serve on juries.
2007-01-12 10:56:40 · answer #5 · answered by summer love 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋