lexjj
Member
I was reading the The Jury Expert, published by the American Association of Trial Consultants, and stumbled upon this article discussing the biases found in experiments on mock jurors. http://www.thejuryexpert.com/2009/0...s-and-the-fears-of-the-legally-armed-citizen/
The experiments tested how perception of specific firearms and/or gender impacts the behavior of a jury. The researchers created a scenario where a lawful gun owner defended his/her home with various weapons. Specifically, they tested an AR-15 v. a Mini-14, and a .38 revolver against a Glock 9mm.
Jurors were MUCH more likely to convict an AR-15 shooter than a Mini-14 shooter AND ascribed significantly longer sentences. In particular, female shooters in general were likely to be found guilty and given long sentences. But, female AR-15 shooters received the highest rate of "conviction" and the longest sentences.
I'm not sure what the ultimate impact of this study should be for gun owners, but it is definitely worth thinking about. The studies use a small sample. But the findings seem to support many of the perception arguments that Massad Ayoob has been making for years.
The experiments tested how perception of specific firearms and/or gender impacts the behavior of a jury. The researchers created a scenario where a lawful gun owner defended his/her home with various weapons. Specifically, they tested an AR-15 v. a Mini-14, and a .38 revolver against a Glock 9mm.
Jurors were MUCH more likely to convict an AR-15 shooter than a Mini-14 shooter AND ascribed significantly longer sentences. In particular, female shooters in general were likely to be found guilty and given long sentences. But, female AR-15 shooters received the highest rate of "conviction" and the longest sentences.
I'm not sure what the ultimate impact of this study should be for gun owners, but it is definitely worth thinking about. The studies use a small sample. But the findings seem to support many of the perception arguments that Massad Ayoob has been making for years.
Last edited by a moderator: