A WWYD - plea bargain or risk a jury?

[yourSUGAMAMA]

Just watched The Good Wife, as part of my autumnwinter personality

On season 1 - a girl has been brought to court accused of murdering a sorority sister, or something

She's innocent but the lawyers are having a hard time proving it. Two contradicting ballistics experts claiming they're sure she is guilty/not guilty.

The defence are trying several ways to disprove the prosecutions claims but are looking bad to the jury

The prosecution have messed up too, and both have been reprimanded by the judge. Neither has a watertight case

The plea deal: 10 years in prison for second degree murder. Vs a max of 45 years if the jury decides she's guilty.

WWYD?

YABU - TAKE THE PLEA
YANBU - SEE WHAT THE JURY SAY

(DISCLAIMER: This is a light-hearted chat, based on the TV show, not on any real life case. Please do not harass me).

She's innocent but the lawyers are having a hard time proving it. ?

I know the US is a (very) foreign country, but even so, my understanding is it's the prosecutions job to prove guilt, not the accused to "prove innocence". Whatever that may mean.

I guess I have to work hard on suspending my disbelief.

You do need to suspend disbelief here 😄

Irl the farcical nonsense that happens during this trial would be grounds for an appeal anyway!

Try and watch the Trial on channel 4. It’s fascinating. They have members of the public acting as a jury and deliberating a case. What is terrifying is the few people there who despite the idea of innocent until proven guilty are able to disregard the instructions they have been given because things dont align with their personal beliefs.

My understanding of jury trials was that you were given a brief as to the law and then you had to decide based on the weight of evidence whether there was enough to convict based on that. Whereas behind closed doors some seem to be saying I don’t care what the evidence is I don’t think that is right so I am going to convict anyway.

I've done two jury services in the UK - the trials were actually quite boring and undramatic, although distressing

Completely agree with you that people often judged based on emotion despite the clear evidence to the contrary

I remember this episode. I think she shoudl have taken the deal as the American justice system doesn’t seem to care about the truth, only sending someone to prison

I never liked The Good Wife.

I agree with pp, watch The Trial instead on Ch4.

10 years though @Mirrorxxx ?!

They don't say whether she'd be out in five either!

I think if the sentence was lower, I could understand more!

😄 @nomas you never liked the good wife? Why?! It's the legal Greys, far better than suits

God TV used to be good

"autumnwinter personality"?

Yes, of course! 🎃🎄❄️

But what does it mean?

I have questions about that too! What does this mean?!

😄😄😄

Just - a happier, cosier woman

Soups, cosy decor, Christmas plans

I am my best, most aspirational self during these months

Much like a good wife?

Just watched this myself!
I love how the lawyers do all the police investigative work and get the case wrapped up in a couple of days!

😄😄😄

They've got the brand new recruits working with the founding partners 😩

😄😄 yes

Although not to a man 🤢, but to myself!

She did take the deal! But at the end of the episode it showed that the jury were going to vote to acquit.

Its not real but it's really stressed me out 😄

Poor fictional sorority girl

I really thought they weren't going to show us what was on the paper!