Black or White, Wrong or Right

Like most people I followed the story of John White and the death of Daniel Cicciaro, Jr. in Long Island.

For full details on the story click here.

Personally, I thought it was an open and shut case. Here was a man, a father, protecting his son, his family, his property from a 17 year old punk who had gathered a group of friends to go after White's son.

Thanks to his family, "Dano", as he was referred to, was shown to be a spoiled, rotten, privileged kid with nothing better to do then to try and incite hate.

When the verdict came back on Saturday I was shocked. Shocked at the timing not the actual verdict.

Do juries normally deliberate on the weekends?

The jury was deadlocked. All but one juror voted to convict.

Here is what happens next:

The judge, Suffolk County Court Judge Barbara Kahn, requests all the jurors Sunday religious schedule. One hour later the jury comes back with a guilty verdict.

Do you think the jury got a bit nervous that they might get stuck over the weekend and eventually the holiday?

Holdout juror Francois Larche later said in an interview he felt pressured to finish before Christmas and ultimately voted to convict.

I am sorry but that is enough pressure for me to convict my grandmother.

I would have no problem with this if it was a 50-50 split amongst the jurors, but it wasn't.

I firmly believe that the last hold out juror was coerced by the judge and fellow jurors to cave in and in turn delivered the knock out blow to John White.

The way I see it: Judges should not "force" jurors or cause a rush to judgment due to time constraints. Peoples lives and property are at stake in most cases.