Generally, attorneys create a profile of the 'perfect' juror and then try to identify those qualities, or the absence thereof, in the prospective juror. |
He's a shadow of himself. His speech is slurred. He lost fifty pounds. He was found hanging in his cell. He was found seriously hurt and hanging. |
The conventional wisdom suggests that those who make hard and fast decisions for a living are prosecution-minded individuals since a verdict is not much more than another decision, and since sympathy and empathy play no part in the decision-making process. |
The stereotype is that young equals liberal and therefore soft on crime. The stereotype is also black equals liberal and soft on crime. The stereotype is further unmarried parent equals liberal. Therefore, young black waitress with child is a defense juror, supposedly. |
There is some information that is connected to this apparent suicide that causes me to believe it was not a suicide. |
You explore the negative vibe hoping to expose a bias upon which the court may act in your favor. Or you repress any expression of delight from the positive vibe hoping that opposing counsel has not identified a connection between you and the prospective juror. |