Issues & Experts >
Issues & Experts Archive > Jury does its job, or not?
Jury does its job, or not?
Document Tools
December 7, 2007
Whether the jury in the Robert Pickton trial has done its job well
will likely be the subject of much debate once the verdict is in. SFU
experts are on top of the different tangents that the trial of a pig
farmer accused of killing six women is taking.
Criminologist David MacAlister says the jury's latest question to the judge on how to decide Pickton's fate indicates the jury is staying on its toes and doing its job well.
However, a study done by psychology lecturer Gordon Rose has found that few jurors understand the legal importance of their task.
Criminologist Robert Gordon says the judge in this trial was likely trying to avert an appeal down the road on a technical point when he suspended the deliberations to seek advice about how to respond to the jury's question.
Eric Beauregard, a criminologist who researches the profiles of sexual murderers and their strategies for choosing victims, can talk about Pickton's profile, once the verdict is in. Beauregard analysed the details of 80 cases involving sexual murderers in Quebec.
David MacAlister, 778.230.7296 (cell), 778.782.3019 (w), dmacalis@sfu.ca
Eric Beauregard, 778.782.8134 (w), 778-384-3159(cell), ebeaureg@sfu.ca
Gordon Rose, gvrose@sfu.ca (email contact best)
Criminologist David MacAlister says the jury's latest question to the judge on how to decide Pickton's fate indicates the jury is staying on its toes and doing its job well.
However, a study done by psychology lecturer Gordon Rose has found that few jurors understand the legal importance of their task.
Criminologist Robert Gordon says the judge in this trial was likely trying to avert an appeal down the road on a technical point when he suspended the deliberations to seek advice about how to respond to the jury's question.
Eric Beauregard, a criminologist who researches the profiles of sexual murderers and their strategies for choosing victims, can talk about Pickton's profile, once the verdict is in. Beauregard analysed the details of 80 cases involving sexual murderers in Quebec.
David MacAlister, 778.230.7296 (cell), 778.782.3019 (w), dmacalis@sfu.ca
Eric Beauregard, 778.782.8134 (w), 778-384-3159(cell), ebeaureg@sfu.ca
Gordon Rose, gvrose@sfu.ca (email contact best)