[fiesti]

is it possible to have a trial with a judge making th decesion or do we need a jury??

[MEG33]

Defendant can choose a judge,I believe.

[Rusty Roberts]

It is the defendant's right to a jury of his peers, but he can waive that and go with the judge. Tough call. Judge will stick with the law, jury, just takes one, but you don't know how many are those "sleeper" or "slealth" jurors we keep hearing about, who want to get on with their mind already made up.

Sometimes, with so much emotion, a defendant is better off with the judge, but something tells me MG is going for 12, and something tells me he's going a lot of women on the panel. Just a hunch.

[Devil_Anse]

The defendant can waive the jury, but it's to be hoped they wouldn't. IMO a trial by judge is more easily appealed. The defendant might start going on about how he didn't really voluntarily waive his right to trial by jury.