Yes. I've often wondered why known criminals often opt for a judge-only trial for their latest alleged crimes.

Your argument against Thompson's claims might have some weight if we enjoyed a legal system that did NOT let the "star witness" REMAIN SILENT while the defence solicitor lied his/her head off in court trying to get his/her "client" off, in most cases a Legal Aid solicitor helped by his mate "the judge". It is necessary to have a prosecutor who is just as cunning and devious as the defending solicitor and this goes against the very basic concept of JUSTICE, the outcome should be based on the EVIDENCE. There are far too many opportunities for cunning opportunists to hoodwink Juries under our current legal system.
A good start would be to have our "judges" trained as "judges" (judges school) and NOT come from the tainted legal system, also we must remove this dishonest practice that allows the defendant to remain silent, they must tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!

Dear lockhartlofty

I think you’ve been watching too many American TV shows.

An ever increasing problem with the judicial system is trial by media.

Take the CT affair. I didn't even knownthe guy existed until he was all but found guilty by the media.

Same went for Dennis Furguson and now Daniel Morcombs accused killer.

I always thought the aim of a trial was to find a jury bench that had no knowledge of the crime on trial. Good luck with that, unless of cause we want 16-25 year olds as jurors.

No dagal 1 I don't waste my time watching US TV shows, seems you do, my comments are based on personal observations, maybe you should take note of what goes on in our legal industry, solicitors in this country are crying because they are scared that the dishonest rort "the right to remain silent" is coming to and end, it has ended in the UK despite being a 400 hundred year old "tradition", now Great Britten's lawyers can't conjurer up the usual disgusting, degrading, defaming, stories about rape victims designed to get the rapist "off". Potential US jury members are given a comprehensive booklet regarding their obligations before accepting positions on the panel, you will not see anything about that on any TV show.

AUther/quoTE..,,..< Pointing's trial looked like a formality until the jury simply refused to convict an honest man who had stood up against wrong.>>

yes god bless 'jury nulliFICATION'
TILL JURIES ARE TOLD THE TRUTH..[they have the dutY TO judge the law and the crime*]..i have faced 3 juries..[they are specially.selected by the sheriff..who is free to use any inquiry means to get the right useless idiot..[who knows their DUTY*[follows the leaders/think the sir joe trial..a sheriff got him IN.

the justice system is insane..lawyers make lAWS..defend the laws judge the laws..then hear appeal..of the law..[its all in house]..where the separation of powers

but even worse..legal/aid..is there 'to save the courts time''[not justice][further all lawyers swear 'loyalty'..to the law society.

see law comes in two forms..[injury or victim law]..then civil..[or contract law]..see govt made artificial..'persons'..under the acts[they can only Judge..those seeking a benefit..via statuted personhood[but even that WEAK SOCIAL CONSTRUCT contract..iS VIA UN-INFORMED CONSENT[NO MEETING OF MINDS

see the state..is a construct/..a fiction..essentially..its a dead trust/betrayed..[where the living serve the dead..[IE THE STATE/CORPORATIONS FORMED UNDER THE ACT..ARE DEAD.

AND JESUS SAID LET THE DEAD TEND THE DEAD
but juries..arnt TOLD any of it..

learn the truth jury nullification
THE Duty to judge the law and the act.

the dead CAN FEEL NO Pain/thus HAVE NO LAWFUL Standing.
standing is everything.[ie personally hurt/or hurt by defrauded contractual terms

uninformed consent
see ignorance of the law is no excuse8