Is anyone concerned about the members of the Grand Jury?

[bklyncowgirl]

From what I understand, the prosecuter presents his evidence and the Grand Jury issues the indictments.

We know that the grand jury is predominently older African-Americans. Most likely they're not the richest people in the world and there are alot of very rich, powerful people who have an interest in seeing this investigation shut down.

Would Bushco dare tamper with a Federal Grand Jury?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Nothing is sacred to the cabal.. we should worry about the GJ. However,

Fitz has dealt with mobsters, which is a lot like dealing with the junta, so perhaps they will be all right?

[Red State Lib]

2. sure they would

They have rigged and stolen elections, gone to war illegally and killed tens of thousands, I could go on and on but you can see my point. Tampering with a Grand Jury would be tantamount to jay walking for this evil cabal.....

[NNN0LHI]

3. Not concerned n/t

[Horse with no Name]

4. I am waiting for racism to rear it's ugly head here

and throw us back to the days when racism was allowed.
I don't think it is by accident that the jury is made up this way, I think it is deliberate so that this evil band of sonofbitches can say they weren't judged by a jury of their peers, problem is, a jury of their peers doesn't exist because they are already on the payroll.
You just watch. They are THAT evil.

[LosinIt]

5. Oh My God, you don't mean that they might be....

DEMOCRATS!!! Oh, Dear God, what living hell is this? First the Illustrious Senator Delay is subjected to such judicial inequity, but not Karl Rove?

[Red State Lib]

7. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Good 'un!

[Red State Lib]

6. peers

I'm sitting here trying to remember a time when a back individual here in Alabama truly had a jury of their peers? Cynical white prosecutors in these backwater county use their every pre emptive strike to ensure an, old, whiate, protestant jury. What teh FUCK am I doing here in Alabama?????

[acmejack]

11. The GJ accurately reflects the ethnic composition of DC

So there is nothing strange about the Grand Jury, IMO.

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. Have no doubt that it will

The absurd defenses that they throw at problems have no boundaries.

[Neil Lisst]

8. yes, it is possible

they would tamper with jurors

However, it's a little different with a grand jury. With a petit jury, they only need ONE juror to block. They'd need to get to one third of the grand jurors, probably, and there are considerably more than 12 grand jurors.

[KharmaTrain]

14. Fitzgerald Is Using 24 Jurors

Plus he has two judges watching every motion he makes...who, I'm certain are keeping very close tabs on those jurors as well.

I suspect a talking point has already been drafted about the composition of the GJ. In fact, I heard someone mention that 75% of those on the Fitzgerald panel are minorities. Not sure if this is true, but it would refelct the population of the District. Since this was where the crime was committed, it's tough nuts, this is where it has to be tried. Plus, changing venue to another federal court would put it in another city with a high minority population in their juror pool. Pick your poison.

That Southern Strategy sure does suck when it comes to federal jury composition. LOL.

[Lancer]

9. As long as the members' identities

are kept secret, no. But if I were a juror, I would not grant any interviews to the press, and if I decided later on to write a book it would be under an alias. I would also stock up on canned goods and board my windows.

[bklyncowgirl]

15. That ability to intimidate is part of what I'm concerned about

These are ordinary people who could have a well justifed fear that if they vote the wrong way their lives could be turned upside down. I mean they are working on a case that centers on this cabal destroying the credibility of a whistleblower and potentially threatening the safety of his wife and her co-workers.

They are going up against the people who control the IRS for chrissake.

[kurth]

10. It's easier to go after the prosecutor

Because of the simple fact that the grand jury is a fairly anonymous entity. Besides, if you piss off the jurors, they can come forward before the trial starts and speak to the press on what they saw (in general terms of course).

DeLay's attack ads are a good example. They smear Ronnie Earle, not the juries Ronnie used.

[spanone]

12. They tamper with everything else, why not GJ.

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. They would suicide them in a heartbeat

if they thought they could get away with it. I'm sure bribery and threats are't off limits either. JFK, Mel Carnahan and Paul Wellstone are perfect examples of what those scumbags are capable of. I do hope the GJ has protection?