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| Vicky Pryce retrial decision triggers defence of jury system | Vicky Pryce retrial decision triggers defence of jury system |
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| Britain's jury system should not be judged by the outcome of a single, complex and highly unusual case, senior lawyers have warned following the collapse of the Vicky Pryce trial. | Britain's jury system should not be judged by the outcome of a single, complex and highly unusual case, senior lawyers have warned following the collapse of the Vicky Pryce trial. |
| Former judges, prosecutors, the Law Society and the Ministry of Justice have defended the system in the wake of Wednesday's decision by Southwark crown court in London to order the case to be tried again after the jury, described as suffering "absolutely fundamental deficits in understanding", failed to reach a verdict in her case. | Former judges, prosecutors, the Law Society and the Ministry of Justice have defended the system in the wake of Wednesday's decision by Southwark crown court in London to order the case to be tried again after the jury, described as suffering "absolutely fundamental deficits in understanding", failed to reach a verdict in her case. |
| Pryce, 60, the ex-wife of Chris Huhne, a former Liberal Democrat minister, will face a fresh jury as early as next week on a charge of perverting the course of justice. | Pryce, 60, the ex-wife of Chris Huhne, a former Liberal Democrat minister, will face a fresh jury as early as next week on a charge of perverting the course of justice. |
| Huhne, who changed his plea to guilty on the first day of a joint trial with Pryce, will not be sentenced until the retrial is completed. During her original trial, the economist relied on the rarely used defence of marital coercion, claiming her then husband forced her to take speeding points for him in 2003. He had thought he would lose his driving licence by taking the points, threatening his chances of being nominated to run as the Lib Dem candidate for Eastleigh, Hampshire. | Huhne, who changed his plea to guilty on the first day of a joint trial with Pryce, will not be sentenced until the retrial is completed. During her original trial, the economist relied on the rarely used defence of marital coercion, claiming her then husband forced her to take speeding points for him in 2003. He had thought he would lose his driving licence by taking the points, threatening his chances of being nominated to run as the Lib Dem candidate for Eastleigh, Hampshire. |
| Commenting on the collapse of the trial, Richard Atkinson, chairman of Law Society's criminal law committee, said: "The comments of the judge that this was unique in his 30 year career reflects my own experiences. I have not come across this before … [Juries] are a very good safeguard." | Commenting on the collapse of the trial, Richard Atkinson, chairman of Law Society's criminal law committee, said: "The comments of the judge that this was unique in his 30 year career reflects my own experiences. I have not come across this before … [Juries] are a very good safeguard." |
| Asked whether there should be a tougher selection process for jurors, he said: "In general there's no screening. In some cases there may be questions to ensure there's no bias [among jurors]." | Asked whether there should be a tougher selection process for jurors, he said: "In general there's no screening. In some cases there may be questions to ensure there's no bias [among jurors]." |
| The MoJ issued a statement, saying: "Trial by jury has served us well for hundreds of years and delivers justice across the country every day." | The MoJ issued a statement, saying: "Trial by jury has served us well for hundreds of years and delivers justice across the country every day." |
| Lord Macdonald, a former director of public prosecution, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't believe this is a general problem but I do think we should allow a bit more research into the way juries go about their tasks … If you have a better understanding of that then perhaps it's easier to frame directions to juries that they will follow and understand." | Lord Macdonald, a former director of public prosecution, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't believe this is a general problem but I do think we should allow a bit more research into the way juries go about their tasks … If you have a better understanding of that then perhaps it's easier to frame directions to juries that they will follow and understand." |
| Lord Woolf, a former lord chief justice, added: "I wouldn't rush into doing anything, I would think about it ... Some very carefully organised, responsible research may be a good thing, but it would have to be treated with great care." | Lord Woolf, a former lord chief justice, added: "I wouldn't rush into doing anything, I would think about it ... Some very carefully organised, responsible research may be a good thing, but it would have to be treated with great care." |
| One of the leading academics who has carried out research into the way juries work agreed that the Pryce situation involved a complex case and a "very exceptional jury". Prof Cheryl Thomas, of University College, London, said: "More than 99% of the time juries reach a verdict. A hung jury is extremely rare. There are very few lessons from this case. | One of the leading academics who has carried out research into the way juries work agreed that the Pryce situation involved a complex case and a "very exceptional jury". Prof Cheryl Thomas, of University College, London, said: "More than 99% of the time juries reach a verdict. A hung jury is extremely rare. There are very few lessons from this case. |
| "All the evidence I have from a decade of research is that the overwhelming majority take their job very seriously." | "All the evidence I have from a decade of research is that the overwhelming majority take their job very seriously." |
| Thomas's first report on the system, Are Juries Fair?, published in 2010 by the MoJ, concluded that "juries overall are efficient and effective". It pointed out that in 2007 that then lord chief justice, "Lord Phillips, publicly called for legal directions to juries to be simplified" and suggested "restructuring jury trials to aid juror comprehension". | Thomas's first report on the system, Are Juries Fair?, published in 2010 by the MoJ, concluded that "juries overall are efficient and effective". It pointed out that in 2007 that then lord chief justice, "Lord Phillips, publicly called for legal directions to juries to be simplified" and suggested "restructuring jury trials to aid juror comprehension". |
| One of the main jury issues that has worried legal experts in the past year is the ease with which jurors can consult the internet and the danger online research presents in terms of undermining evidence in court. | One of the main jury issues that has worried legal experts in the past year is the ease with which jurors can consult the internet and the danger online research presents in terms of undermining evidence in court. |
| Thomas's current research, due to be published this spring, examines how to prevent improper use of the internet by jurors and how to improve their decision-making. She said: "There's legitimate use of the internet: for example, how to get to court. But it can become a grey area. Is it illegal to look for information about the judge? No. | Thomas's current research, due to be published this spring, examines how to prevent improper use of the internet by jurors and how to improve their decision-making. She said: "There's legitimate use of the internet: for example, how to get to court. But it can become a grey area. Is it illegal to look for information about the judge? No. |
| "Jurors get themselves into trouble when they actively research information about a defendant. They should also not be looking up information about the law or the issue [in the case]. It's more tempting to disobey the rules ... because of the internet." | "Jurors get themselves into trouble when they actively research information about a defendant. They should also not be looking up information about the law or the issue [in the case]. It's more tempting to disobey the rules ... because of the internet." |
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