Judge and Jury, two

 
 
There are two types of trials, civil trials and criminal trials. Civil trials settle noncriminal matters, such as contracts, ownership of property, and payment for personal injury.

The jury decides who is at fault and how much money must be paid in damages.

In a criminal trial, a jury is often used to decide the legal guilt or innocence of a person accused of a crime.
 

A. You are a judge or a member of a jury. Are the following innocent, not guilty or guilty?

B. Why did the defendants commit these “crimes”? What could or should the accused have done instead? What are the solutions to these problems?

C. If guilty, what sort of sentence or punishment would you give them? Here are some examples.

a) Probation
b) Community service for three months.
c) A fine of €100.
d) 10 days in jail.
e) 6 months in minimum security prison
e) 7 years in medium security prison.
f) Life imprisonment.

Court Martial, Military, Intelligence

11. Mr. Y, an intelligence officer, passed on top-secret information a foreign government. This helped the enemy president avoid a Third World War.

12. A former intelligence officer, Mr. Z, has told a newspaper that the government can tap into anyone’s personal data online.

13. Colonel Edwards, a bomber pilot in the Air Force, is a prisoner of war. He is on trial for bombing a military convoy, in the process causing extensive “collateral damage”.

14. Joseph volunteered in the Army. When he found out that he would be sent to fight for freedom in a foreign land, he deserted.

Other

15. Mr. Ongene was caught poaching rhinoceroses and elephants for their horns and tusks respectively. These items were going to be smuggled abroad to be made into ornaments and medicine. He has eight children.

16. Ronald went to the club last Saturday night. At 2:00 in the morning, he drove home. Along the way he hit a pedestrian — but kept driving.

17. Percy had terminal illness and experience excruciating pain. At his request, Dr. McKenzie switched off his life support system.

18. A psychopath assaulted Carol in New York City. Seventeen people just watched and did nothing.

19. Olivia is a 71 year-old widow with a very small pension. She was caught shoplifting some tins of food.

20. Jane, a teenage mother abandoned her 6 month old baby in a field where a farmer found him.

21. Dennis, a computer programmer and hacker. Last week he broke in to the national space agency’s computer network and damaged a $20 million satellite.