I’ve served on several juries. If I had stated beforehand that I already had decided on the verdict, I would have been excused. When empaneled, I was directed to consider only the evidence presented in the trial. My own views or those of family, friends or the media were not to influence my decision.
In the most recent Senate impeachment trial, dozens of Republican senators proclaimed loudly they would acquit Trump even before the trial began. Some boldly stated he was guilty, but they would vote to acquit him, anyway. Then they swore to render a just verdict, and they were seated on the jury.
Evidence presented by the prosecutors overwhelmingly established Trump’s monthslong incendiary rhetoric and baseless lies about his “stolen election” had created the bomb he detonated with his “fight like hell” speech. Some senators brazenly continued to publicly admit he was guilty, but they still would acquit him.
If I had done that in Superior Court, I would have been removed from the jury and possibly been held in contempt of court. But the senators remained on the jury, no contempt of Congress charges were even suggested, and Trump was acquitted.
Impartial verdict? Justice? Not even close!
