Description
JUS 505 Week 2 Assignment, Jury Selection Essay
For this assignment, you will construct a cross-sectional jury according to jury empanelment requirements as established by such rulings as Taylor v. Louisiana.
Use the following items to complete the assignment:
- The John Morgan Case Study.
- The 2010 U.S. Census data found at http://www.census.gov/2010census/data/
- Other demographic data found at http://fedstats.sites.usa.gov/ .
Look up the Census and other demographic data for the county in which you live. Imagine John Morgan is being tried for his accused crime in your county.
Construct a jury consisting of 12 jurors who will decide John Morgan’s case. Write a brief description of each juror (a short paragraph for each) that includes his or her name, age, race, gender, educational and income level, and any other information you feel is important to portray each juror. Be sure that the jury you create represents an appropriate cross-section given John Morgan’s information and the other data you have collected. Write an explanation (250-500 words) as to how the jury you construct represents an appropriate cross-section of John Morgan’s peers. Use the data in your findings and any other appropriate information to defend your rational.
John Morgan Case Study
John Morgan is a single 38-year-old white male. His formal education consists of a high school diploma and a few semesters of college, but no college degree. He works as a local delivery driver for an international shipping company and makes just under $40,000 a year. Two months ago, John was arrested by his local police department following an investigation of a hit and run that occurred at a convenience store near his apartment. He was …..with fleeing the scene of an accident causing substantial property damage, a Class 4 felony.
John is up for trial and is pleading “Not Guilty” to the charge. He faces up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine, as well as all the other potential challenges this could bring to his career and social life.
JUS 505 Week 2 Discussion 1: Discuss the Taylor v. Louisiana Supreme Court case. How did it change the Sixth Amendment requirement of an impartial jury? Or did it? Discuss the constitutional requirement that a defendant be tried by an impartial jury of his peers. What exactly does the term impartial mean?
JUS 505 Week 2 Discussion 2: Are you in favor of or against having a cross-sectional representative jury pool? Why? Support your position.
