[wongarsu]

Whenever people justify why the US's jury system is better than the judgement by judges that's prevalent in continental Europe it's always about these exact scenarios. If you just want to find facts you don't need a jury of peers. The jury is at least in part there to pass a moral judgement beyond the letter of the law.

From what I understand a juror can only be removed during the jury selection process or if someone outside the jury "tampers" with the jurors. If you get called to jury duty, the quickest way to get out of it is to say you know about jury nullification. But if you don't reveal that and get into the jury you are free to rule as you want and to try to convince the other jurors to do the same.

[clarionbell]

Idea about jury trial is to give people say over how they want their laws enforced and spreading accountability around.

With jury, you can't blame a single person for the result you didn't like. It was your neighbors that decided. And, at the same time, laws get continuously tested. Every time a jury is called, it's like a small section of society (randomly chosen, and later pruned by criteria) gathering verifying if it still makes sense.

As for the facts. While they are very important, law is also about morality. And while facts remain, morality changes all the time.

And regarding Europe. Some of the sentences handed by judges here, are so horrendous, that I would take american style jury over them any day. Especially when it comes to violent crime.

[chaorace]

It's the legal equivalent of a firing squad. No execution requires a squad, but you'll certainly need one if you value the health and safety of your executioners.

[kmeisthax]

> But if you don't reveal that and get into the jury you are free to rule as you want and to try to convince the other jurors to do the same.

This is perjury. On your jury duty questionnaire, there was a question (something about "faithfully upholding the law" or something) which is a roundabout way of asking "By the way, you don't plan to do a jury nullification anytime soon, do you?". If you said no to that, then got on a jury, and told everyone to do a jury nullification, you've done perjury, and you actually can be punished for that.

The only legal way to nullify a law is for each member of the jury to individually decide they don't like the law and vote to nullify. You can't convict a jury for falsely acquitting. But you can convict a jury for conspiring to do so.