Kill a cyclist, get community punishment

"That is a huge question with implications for criminal justice more generally. Should an alcoholic accused of murder be entitled to fellow alcoholics on the jury? If the victim was a crackhead should crackheads be on the jury?"

Right or wrong, these aspects has no or very little affect on jury selection in the UK. In severe cases needless to say alcoholics, crackheads and anyone one else for that matter may be deemed unfit for jury service based on their physical and mental state. However, the selection is completely random and even alkies and druggies, let alone the odd village idiot serves on juries across the country on a regular basis.