Nicotine Addiction Claims Another Life

Lawyers for an Ohio man convicted of strangling his ex-girlfriend to death argue that jurors rushed to a death sentence because they were hankering for a smoke and the judge refused to allow cigarette breaks.

Comments

[Ethan]

Well, I guess Henry Fonda can't be on every jury.

[John]

Did they rush to a conviction or a death sentence? If they rushed to a conviction, that is a problem because he may be innocent. If they rushed to a death sentence, who cares? The dirt bag strangled an innocent women, let him fry.

[sage +P]

John,

I think it was both, judging from the Sploid coverage of the story.

[Ruthless]

Back in the olden days, we smoked in the jury box.

[NoStar]

Jacob,
A more succinct caption this entry would be Dying For A Cigarette

(as always, the pun is intentional.)

[NoStar]

Sorry,

A more succinct caption FOR this entry would be Dying For A Cigarette.

[Stretch]

Perhaps admitting to smoking is now a way to get out of jury duty.

Don't juries get breaks every few hours to use the restroom anyway? Why can't they grab a quick smoke then? And if you're truly addicted to nicotine, is dipping allowed?

[crimethink]

Well, she was a sheriff's deputy in Licking County. She was just begging for it.

[joshua corning]

what the hell? I would walk out...what is the judge going to do call a miss-trial becouse a jury memeber went outside for a smoke?

[ChicagoTom]

what is the judge going to do call a miss-trial becouse a jury memeber went outside for a smoke

Hold you in contempt and fine you heftily??

[crimethink]

joshua,

Three words: Contempt Of Court.

[sigfried]

Most likely smoking is Verboten in the courthouse, period. With smoke detectors above the stalls in the bathrooms.

[Jennifer]

I was lucky that the one time I got a jury-duty notice they didn't actually use me, but I think it's crap that jurors are basically treated no better than criminals. Screw this business of me having to go through the metal detector and be searched before going into the courthouse--I didn't commit a crime and I didn't ask to be here, so what the HELL gives anybody the right to treat me that way?

But I've decided: if I'm ever on a jury, even if the guy is guilty as sin I will tell the press that I voted him guilty because I was in a hurry to go outside and smoke. If that happens often enough maybe jurors will be treated a little more humanely.

[Robert]

One of the points I campaigned on for the NY senate in 2002 was holding the trial first, then sending video of it to jurors at home. The jurors wouldn't even be selected until the trial had concluded. If the jurors are unanimous (voting from home), it ends there. If not, then bring them together to deliberate.