The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PROBLEMS assembling juries are complicating the trial of criminal cases, State Legal Affairs Minister Damian Gomez said yesterday.

With five criminal courts operating year round, Mr Gomez said, it was alarming that in the last 12 months, only 89 trials were heard.

If the Bahamas aims to fight crime effectively, he said, something must be done to maximise the output of the courts, which should try around 200 to 250 cases a year.

Among the factors contributing to the slow trying of cases, he said, are the numerous instances of jury tampering including attempts to intimidate jurors.

But, the minister added, sometimes jury trials are simply complicated by poor organisation.

“It has actually hindered the court calendar,” Mr Gomez said, “and something must be done to ensure that the court has the resources of the jury in a more efficient manner.

“In one instance we have had only eight jurors turn out to court. All the others had not been served, so this is a real problem in which the way in which the system operates is affected.

“What has happened is in recent times, there are numerous persons who have become professional jurors. They sit from session to session. I applaud those persons who are so public-spirited that they make themselves available but there is a danger in this.

“If you think about it, if criminals are aware of the fact that there are persons who are professional jurors, those persons maybe contacted and at any time.

“Not so much when they are sitting on a matter but these persons know from time to time that they get arrested. It ought to be clear that the situation we have is dangerous. Something must be done.

“And too many of our citizens are evading jury duty.”

Mr Gomez said the way jury pools are selected must be overhauled if the court process is to become more effective.