Jury deadlocks in [*second*] assault case against Inglewood officer [Donovan Jackson case]

AP ^ | 1.30.04 | AP

[ambrose]

A jury deadlocked Friday in the second assault trial of Jeremy Morse, a former Inglewood police officer accused of using excessive force against a handcuffed, black teenager during a videotaped arrest in 2002.

Superior Court Judge William Hollingsworth declared a hung jury and ended the trial after the jury deadlocked 6-6 on the charge of assault under color of authority.

[ambrose]

are they going to keep trying this cop over and over until they get a conviction? or will the Federales step in now?

[South40]

are they going to keep trying this cop over and over until they get a conviction?

That's probably what JE$$E would want. And if they don't eventually find him guilty the resulting riots will be warranted.

No Justice, No Peace...ya know.

[missyme]

It's ridiculous rhey want a verdict that there looking for so they will keep trying him over and over...Just like the Cops in Simi Valley there not looking for another L.A riot

Bad Guys seem to always win.

[kimoajax]

I expect more and more jury members are going to realize they really are soverign and may if they choose ignore what judges instruct them regarding their obligations to follow the law...and instead seek to render justice.

[Poohbah]

are they going to keep trying this cop over and over until they get a conviction?

No, until they get a verdict.

[Pearman]

You ask a good question because that is exactly what happened to the LAPD officers who arrested RAK. They were acquited in the state trial and subsequently convicted in a Federal Court of "depriving" poor Rodney of his civil rights. My guess is that the Inglewood Officer will not be tried by the Feds because unlike the RAK officers he at least was not acquited.

Nevertheless, Ashcroft and Bush will agree in a minute to have him tried in Federal Court if they think Bush can get more votes in California than he would by not trying him. It's all about votes. It is because of votes that Medicare now has a prescription drug plan courtesy of the "fiscally conservative strict constructionist" Republicans. By the same token "Law and Order" Republicans would have no trouble feeding a young police officer to the wolves if they thought it would would garner them some extra votes.

[ambrose]

In a typical case, a prosecutor will only seek a retrial if he believes there's a reasonable chance it will lead to a conviction. With two hung juries, split right down the middle, it would suggest that they'll never get a verdict. If this were not a politically charged case, it would be dropped.

[Poohbah]

In a typical case, a prosecutor will only seek a retrial if he believes there's a reasonable chance it will lead to a conviction. With two hung juries, split right down the middle, it would suggest that they'll never get a verdict. If this were not a politically charged case, it would be dropped.

If I were the judge, I would've simply told the jury to get back to work, and to not come back without a verdict.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Doesn't anyone remember that the "victim" grabbed an officer by the cojones? He's lucky he only got punched.

[Poohbah]

Doesn't anyone remember that the "victim" grabbed an officer by the cojones? He's lucky he only got punched.

Either (a) the arrestee's arms are over a foot longer than normal, (b) the officer was attempting to "don't ask, don't tell" the arrestee (in which case I could understand the grab), or (c) the officer isn't being honest.

[CurlyDave]

Doesn't anyone remember that the "victim" grabbed an officer by the cojones?

From what I saw in that video, this claim did not help the officer's credibility at all.

Just didn't look possible to me.

[Amerigomag]

If this were not a politically charged case, it would be dropped.

Yup. Verdict shopping in a racially charged case in a PC state.

Two justice systems.

One to impassionately determine guilt or innocence and the other to meet the demands of the entitled mob. One driven by the rule of law and the other by the liberal mentality.