The jury that asked the spirit world for a verdict – and other bizarre tales from the courtroom

By Liam Martin Bird, PhD Student, Part-time teacher in Law & Criminology, Aberystwyth University

Criminal justice systems vary around the world. But in many countries, for hundreds of years, people have faced trial by a jury of their peers. In England and Wales, a jury is a group of 12 members of the public who are called to sit as judges of fact in even the most serious criminal cases. Juries are presented with long-winded arguments by (generally) talented lawyers about the exact circumstances which may or may not have happened. They then have to answer one simple question: is the defendant on trial guilty or not?

High-profile cases may make one wonder just how juries reach their…

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