Identifying Arguments
An elderly witness says he heard the accused boy say, "I'm going to kill you" to his father, but several of the jurors believe this elder witness could not have heard the boy. An elder juror states that the man might have said this "to be important." The elder juror states:
It was just that I looked at him for a very long time. The seam of his jacket was split just under his shoulder, or did you notice that. To come to court like that. He was a very old man in a torn jacket and he walked slowly to the stand. He was dragging his left leg and trying to hide it cause he was ashamed. I think I know this man better than anyone here. This is a quiet man, silent insignificant old man, who has been nothing his whole life. And has never had recognition or his name in newspapers. Nobody knows him, nobody quotes him and nobody seeks his advice after 75 years. Gentleman that is a very sad thing to be nothing. A man like this needs to be quoted to be listened to, to be quoted just once. It's very important to him. It will be so hard for him to recede into the background...He wouldn't really lie, but perhaps he made himself believe he heard those words and recognized the face.
This juror is using persuasive language. He is attempting to persuade or convince someone by appealing to reasons. First he says that the man has been nothing his whole life, that he has never had recognition or his name in newspapers. Second, he says the elderly witness needs to be quoted just once so that he will feel important. Third, he states that an old man wouldn't want to recede into the background and become a man who amounts to nothing. The juror uses these reasons to justify his belief that the elderly witness made himself believe he heard those words and recognized the face.
Analyzing and Evaluating Arguments
2. When the elderly man says he heard the boy say, "I'm going to kill you." Some jurors believe the...