Jury instruction: evaluating evidence

📄 Jury instruction: evaluating evidence — Friday, June 9, 1995

Address:

C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\JUN\9\JURY-INSTRUCTION-EVALUATING-EV.DOC

TRIAL

▲ Day 92 of 167

◀ Jury returns Direct examination of Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran (part 1) ▶

Date: Friday, June 9, 1995 • Utterances: 1

Judge Ito delivers a brief instruction to the jury reminding them to evaluate evidence impartially, free from emotion, public sentiment, or prejudice. He emphasizes that both sides are entitled to a fair, conscientious verdict based solely on the law and evidence. The instruction serves as a standard judicial admonition before proceeding.

# 1 THE COURT:

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, in evaluating the evidence that is presented to you in this case, I want to instruct you that you must not be influenced by mere sentiment, conjecture, sympathy, passion, prejudice, public opinion or public feeling. Both the Prosecution and the Defendant have a right to expect that you will conscientiously consider and weigh the evidence, apply the law and reach a just verdict in this case regardless of the consequences. Mr. Kelberg, are you ready to proceed?

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (1)

Lance A. Ito

you must not be influenced by mere sentiment, conjecture, sympathy, passion, prejudice, public opinion or public feeling

Core impartiality standard — notable given the extraordinary public and media pressure surrounding this trial

Objections

None recorded

Proceeding 6336 • 1 utterances

Criminal Trial

Department 103