International Law

Would the Jury System Work in China?

By Stan

Saw this the other day on the FP Passport blog, and it got me thinking:

For decades, all that Japan knew of jury trials came from foreign legal dramas. Now, for the first time since 1943, Japan is watching a real jury decide the fate of a criminal, as six “lay judges” join three professional judges for four days of deliberations over the fatal stabbing of a 66 year-old South Korean woman by her 72 year-old neighbor.

Since the end of trial by jury during World War II, Japan’s trials have been carried out under professional judges, which led to accusations of too much secrecy. The 99 percent conviction rate that currently accompanies these trials has increased concern that many innocent people are being convicted, and the reintroduction of juries, which was passed five years ago, is designed to bring the public into the judicial process (though only for serious crimes such as murder). However, the public has been skeptical of the new system, especially the hassle involved in taking time off to serve.

What about China? Could it work here for certain criminal cases, and if not, why?
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Full post as published by China Hearsay on August 10, 2009 (boomark / email).