Just heard that the jury instructions are 55 pages long!!!
No wonder the judge didn’t give them to the jury.
He has to give them some instructions written down. I have sat on nearly 15 trials and you usually get a one page document with the possible guilty on X,Y,Z charges. In KY on the felony cases we had to be unanimous and that meant 12-0, not this 4-4-4 idiocy.
They will elect a foreman and then probably read the possible guilty options, kick it around and get a feel for the opinions in the room and possibly take a vote thereafter if everyone seems in agreement which is rare and proceed accordingly. I sat on one trial where the quick vote was all we needed and it was a civil trial where you don’t need a unanimous verdict and it was 12-1.
This is the biggest joke of a criminal trial I have ever witnessed. I live in the middle of the mountains and trial are taken seriously here. With this kangaroo court in NY I have never seen a judge or courtroom so bereft of due process and basic courtroom decorum and behavior.
We should be able to read the jury instructions. Why is this done in secrecy?
However, the general public can look at it on the New York State website and read it for themselves, however, if you are in the jury, your SOL and have to do it by memory or ask questions.
No human can fully comprehend a document of that length without reading it for themselves.