A recent decision by Indiana Judge Roland Chamblee Jr. may have citizens lining up in white robes to get out of jury duty. Chamblee excused Railton Loy from jury duty after he told the court that he is the Imperial Wizard of the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and could only be fair to white folks.
Chamblee stated his intention to wear his KKK uniform to the trial.
Chamblee decided wisely that he “saw no reason to subject the criminal justice system to Mr. Loy as a juror.”
The threat would have made for an interesting confrontation. Loy would have been ordered to wear street clothes but he might have fought to keep some other item referencing his racist association (which would also be rightfully barred). It is reminiscent of Barbara Adams, 31, who wore a Star Trek federation uniform to the Whitewater trial, here. This created an awkward problem for the court that it resolved by tossing her for speaking with the media. I will not, however, that the Federation’s prime directives are a bit more consistent with jury duty than the Bylaws of the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.
A judge in South Carolina once crossed the line by striking a juror over his dreadlocks, here.
In 2001, Loy was sentenced for harassment of a reporter, here.
Given the recent reports on people avoiding jury duty in the bad economy (here and here), the ranks of professed KKK members could swell in the wake of the decision.
It starts at a young age:
16-Year-Old Arrested in Wal-Mart Intercom Case
Teen has been released to custody of his parents, police said
By VINCE LATTANZIO and DANIELLE JOHNSON
Updated 10:59 PM EDT, Sat, Mar 20, 2010
A 16-year-old boy, who was arrested for allegedly announcing a hateful message over a South Jersey Wal-Mart’s intercom, was nabbed by cops after he bragged about the incident on the internet.
Washington Township police say they arrested the teen after they were notified about information he posted on his Facebook page and on YouTube. Investigators say the posts have since been removed.
“We were looking into anonymous tips and also the internet. By accessing the internet and Facebook and YouTube there was some information that was being supplied,” said Chief Rafael Muniz.
Surveillance cameras inside the store captured the Atlantic County, NJ teenager in action.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/16-Year-Old-Arrested-in-Wal-Mart-Intercom-Case-88727162.html
“What is the Grand Wizard doing living in Indiana? That is scary for those of us living in Illinois.”
rafflaw – Then you probably don’t know that one of the first klans was in Illinois. Found that out when I was a student at NIU. On a Sunday a KKK newsletter was left in our mailbox. It scared the sh*t out of my roommates and I to know that one of those people was walking around our neighborhood. Once we were all home we opened it up and just laughed. It was the most illiterate piece of garbage we’d ever read (of course we’ve seen the same and worse now but this was pre-internet). We considered sending in the application for membership (complete with photo) with one of our minority faces but we never did.
This was a great scene from Curb Your Enthusiasm-
“I don’t know if I can be unbiased, Your Honor… the defendant is a black man!”
The very next cut shows him walking back to his car.
(This was the episode that got that guy out of prison when it accidentally filmed him sitting in a stadium and supported his alibi.)
Isn’t it supposed to be “Imperial Wizard”? Or is “Imperil Wizard” a pun?
Hey,
This piece of crap was just being honest. The justice system in Indiana is better off without this brain challenged individual as a juror. What is the Grand Wizard doing living in Indiana? That is scary for those of us living in Illinois.
AY, That wouldn’t be so bad. They’re just the trier of law.
I think we need to figure out a way for appeals to all be pro bono. Why should it cost the litigant anything at all if the judge misinterprets the law? Too often the cost of appeal is not even a consideration. In fact, when judgments are less than about $20K, many times an appeal is cost prohibitive.
LOL 🙂
No then most judges would have to be removed.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just claim that you suffer from short-term memory loss?
Damn and I thought everyone was entitled to a Jury of their peers. I suppose the Professor is correct in that this will become the next reason to get out of Jury service.
Here is the link to the tribune article.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100319/News01/3190372/1130
Sorry,should have been Railton Loy not Chamblee.
“Chamblee stated his intention to wear his KKK uniform to the trial.”
I guess the political climate as of late,made Chamblee feel that there would be no problem coming to court like that.