Jurors believe ordinary people are capable of coping with complex trials

You may recall that the Government wants to get rid of jury trials, starting with the Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill.

The Times:

Jurors in a trial that collapsed at a cost of £60 million after 21 months have strongly backed the ability of ordinary people to cope with complex frauds.

In an unprecedented research study [96Kb] into what jurors think, the inquiry reveals jurors’ experiences in the Jubilee Line fraud trial fiasco that led to moves by the Government to scrap juries in such cases altogether.

A quote from the study:

The jury taken as a whole did not appear to have had difficulty understanding the evidence or the essentials of the case as presented to it. …

In the afternoon discussion with the group, led by Stephen Myers, the jurors showed quite impressive familiarity with the charges, issues and evidence, despite the length of time that had elapsed; the fact that they did not have their notes or access to documents nor an opportunity to think back and refresh their memories; and the fact that they had not heard all the evidence, arguments and summing up.