JuryThese are relevant references from the Books where Jury is mentioned. I make no pronouncements on these matters, but report them as I find them. Arrive at your own conclusions. I wish you well, Fogaban Contests of arms, fought to the death, whereas they may not take place at the fairs are not unknown on Gor, and are popular in some cities. Contests of this sort, most often involving criminals and impoverished soldiers of fortune, offer prizes of amnesty or gold and are customarily sponsored by rich men to win the approval of the populace of their cities. Sometimes these men are merchants who wish thereby to secure goodwill for their products; sometimes they are practitioners of the law, who hope to sway the votes of jury men; Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Page 11 "Judgment was pronounced in accord with the statutes of the steel worlds," said Kog, "by the high council, composed of seventy-two members elected from among the representatives of the thousand cliffs." "The same council was both judge and jury?" I asked. "Yes," said Kog, "as is the case in many of your own cities." "Preposterous," I said. "Marlenus would never risk a trial." "There is no risk," said Seremides. "Consider a jury of a thousand outraged, vengeful citizens." "Two days from now," he said, "the public trial of Talena of Ar will begin. It will take place in the great theater of Publius. The jury of a thousand male citizens of Ar, each eager to condemn Talena, has already been selected." "Male citizens?" I said. "Certainly," he said. "One would scarcely wish to put the despised and hated Talena at the mercies of free women." "I see," I said. "As you doubtless know," he said, "in Ar, the law is the Ubar and the Ubar is the law. But, in this case, the noble Marlenus, Ubar of Glorious Ar, in his graciousness and generosity, will allow the verdict to be delivered by a jury of suitably chosen citizens, subject, of course, to his right to overrule the verdict, should it somehow fail to be in conformity with justice, as he sees it." "I am proud of my guilt," said Talena. "I revel in it!" "The jury will, as well," said Hemartius, "if they do not first rise up and cut you to pieces with small knives." One concession the court denied her was her demand to shield her features by veiling. To give the court its due, I do not think any bias was involved in this decision. It is common precedent to deny veiling to female defendants. Supposedly this is, first, to make the defendant more vulnerably recognizable, this to make escape, prisoner switches, and such less possible, and, second, to allow the judge and the jury to read what they can from the defendant's features. Is she telling the truth, is she lying, is she mocking the court, is she frightened, is she surly, and so on. "Noble jurors," said Decius Albus. "You may retire to consider your verdict." "Guilty! Guilty now!" cried hundreds of the jurors. "Guilty!" cried hundreds in the stands. "No, dear fellow citizens," said Decius Albus, holding up his hand. "Do not be hasty! Let not the Tarns of Justice descend too eagerly! You must deliberate, carefully, patiently, thoughtfully, and earnestly, before rendering a verdict." "No!" cried many in the orchestra area and in the tiers. "No need! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty now!" "Why is there a thousand men on the jury?" I asked. "To reduce bias and eliminate prejudice," said Hemartius. "Too, who could afford to bribe a thousand-man jury?" Decius Albus rose to his feet. "Now that our beloved Ubar is present, may the Priest-Kings favor him, this court is once more in sober session. Noble jurors, have you, after considering with care, patiently, and at length, the indisputable facts in this case and the testimony of numerous reliable witnesses, reached a decision?" "We have! We have!" cried hundreds of voices from the orchestra area. "Are you prepared to make known that decision?" "We are! We are!" came from the orchestra area. "What is your decision?" asked Decius Albus. "Guilty! Guilty!" cried the jury. "Guilty! Guilty!" rang from the tiers. "Guilty! Guilty!" shrieked the women toward the back of the orchestra area, who had been victorious in the ostracon contest. |
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