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DETROIT (WXYZ) - Justice is supposed to be blind, but what if it’s also Deaf? The 7 Investigators have learned that jurors who are Deaf are serving on juries more and more.
Judges say in the past, Deaf jurors usually did not make it onto a jury to render a verdict. They’re thrilled that the courts are becoming more inclusive, and as we discovered, Deaf jurors are also changing the dynamics of deliberations.
Inside the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in downtown Detroit, judges hold more than 500 jury trials every year.
In this recent armed robbery trial, not everyone inside Judge Timothy Kenny’s courtroom could actually hear the witnesses.
That’s because for the first time in more than 18 years on the bench, Judge Kenny had the opportunity to seat a Deaf juror to help decide this case.
“I think it’s important for people who do have disabilities to think that this is not a segment of their life that they’re shut out from,” said Judge Kenny.
The court had two highly trained and certified sign language interpreters ready to go the day Juror #13 arrived for jury duty. University Translators Services provided the interpreters for the trial.
They are sworn in and the judge gives them clear instructions that when they’re interpreting inside the jury room for deliberations: they can never express their own views on the evidence.
“They recognize that's what their role is, and they’re not there to provide any editorial comment,” said Judge Kenny.
After 4 days of testimony, juror #13 -- the Deaf juror -- was chosen to deliberate with 11 others.
They found the defendant in this case not guilty.
“I think every Deaf person has the ability to serve on a jury,” said Leah Scarpace.
Scarpace was born Deaf. She, too, was chosen to deliberate a Wayne County arson case in October.
“I was focused on more the body language, because of how they responded to the questions was important to me. Hearing people can hear voice inflection, and affect, but for me it was more about looking at the body language, and seeing how nervous the person was, or if they were casual about the situation,” said Scarpace.
Through interpreter Lindsay Weigand, Scarpace told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo that her fellow jurors had no experience with the Deaf or with interpreters so she had to set some ground rules during the boisterous deliberations, which helped them all work better together.
“We gave everyone a number, so then they could talk one at a time and that was a lot more smoothly of a process. And then I could know whose opinion it was, who was talking. And get everyone’s perspectives,” said Scarpace.
The state of Michigan does not keep track of how many Deaf people have served on juries. Officials with the U. S. District Court in Detroit tell us that during the last 10 years, they have never had a Deaf juror.
Since it is starting to happen more often, the State of Michigan adopted new rules last summer that require additional certification and training for court room interpreters.
Scarpace says in her case, they rendered a not guilty verdict. And she would gladly serve again.
“It’s part of our duty, living here in this country,” said Scarpace.
As the state’s busiest court, Wayne County issued nearly 87,000 jury summons last year. More than half of those people never even showed up, costing the taxpayers more than $26,000.
That’s yet another reason why the judges there are thrilled to have Deaf jurors that are eager to serve, and they say if you have a disability, they will accommodate you.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/local-news...-more-deaf-jurors-are-serving-in-local-courts
Judges say in the past, Deaf jurors usually did not make it onto a jury to render a verdict. They’re thrilled that the courts are becoming more inclusive, and as we discovered, Deaf jurors are also changing the dynamics of deliberations.
Inside the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in downtown Detroit, judges hold more than 500 jury trials every year.
In this recent armed robbery trial, not everyone inside Judge Timothy Kenny’s courtroom could actually hear the witnesses.
That’s because for the first time in more than 18 years on the bench, Judge Kenny had the opportunity to seat a Deaf juror to help decide this case.
“I think it’s important for people who do have disabilities to think that this is not a segment of their life that they’re shut out from,” said Judge Kenny.
The court had two highly trained and certified sign language interpreters ready to go the day Juror #13 arrived for jury duty. University Translators Services provided the interpreters for the trial.
They are sworn in and the judge gives them clear instructions that when they’re interpreting inside the jury room for deliberations: they can never express their own views on the evidence.
“They recognize that's what their role is, and they’re not there to provide any editorial comment,” said Judge Kenny.
After 4 days of testimony, juror #13 -- the Deaf juror -- was chosen to deliberate with 11 others.
They found the defendant in this case not guilty.
“I think every Deaf person has the ability to serve on a jury,” said Leah Scarpace.
Scarpace was born Deaf. She, too, was chosen to deliberate a Wayne County arson case in October.
“I was focused on more the body language, because of how they responded to the questions was important to me. Hearing people can hear voice inflection, and affect, but for me it was more about looking at the body language, and seeing how nervous the person was, or if they were casual about the situation,” said Scarpace.
Through interpreter Lindsay Weigand, Scarpace told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo that her fellow jurors had no experience with the Deaf or with interpreters so she had to set some ground rules during the boisterous deliberations, which helped them all work better together.
“We gave everyone a number, so then they could talk one at a time and that was a lot more smoothly of a process. And then I could know whose opinion it was, who was talking. And get everyone’s perspectives,” said Scarpace.
The state of Michigan does not keep track of how many Deaf people have served on juries. Officials with the U. S. District Court in Detroit tell us that during the last 10 years, they have never had a Deaf juror.
Since it is starting to happen more often, the State of Michigan adopted new rules last summer that require additional certification and training for court room interpreters.
Scarpace says in her case, they rendered a not guilty verdict. And she would gladly serve again.
“It’s part of our duty, living here in this country,” said Scarpace.
As the state’s busiest court, Wayne County issued nearly 87,000 jury summons last year. More than half of those people never even showed up, costing the taxpayers more than $26,000.
That’s yet another reason why the judges there are thrilled to have Deaf jurors that are eager to serve, and they say if you have a disability, they will accommodate you.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/local-news...-more-deaf-jurors-are-serving-in-local-courts
