Imagine being one of the more than 14,000 individuals locked up in Los Angeles County’s expansive jail system and hearing that nearly every business in the county is open at 100% capacity.
Under the law, a person in custody has a right to a speedy trial within 30 or 60 days of their arraignment depending on the level of the charge. However, since the start of the pandemic, the county court has sought and obtained from the California Supreme Court automatic continuances of trials. On Friday, the court said the order has beenFor many months last year, there were no jury trials at all. Even now, very few trials are taking place.
Although there was good reason for a freeze on jury trials during the earlier part of the pandemic — before vaccines were developed and authorized for use — we are now far removed from the worst periods of infection. This pandemic is not fully over, especially with the recent rise in cases involving the Delta variant. It makes good sense to continue requiring safety measures in the courthouse that are based on current scientific guidance — including masking, social distancing and limiting nonessential hearings. However, jury trials are at the heart of the criminal justice system. Continuing to delay them does not adhere to current local, state, and national scientific guidance.
opinion Trial? The system would collapse if everyone went to trial. It’s called tolling (not trolling) time. Very effective against those that can’t bail. I have heard fine stories of the extra curricular activities at the tower.
opinion Only poor people...
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