The idea that justice is meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identity, money, power, or weakness is regularly questioned by our esteemed tabloid press. However, a more academic challenge to the concept of blind justice and blind impartiality has just concluded.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Cornell University researchers have found that juries are significantly more likely to convict an ugly person than an attractive person.

CBS: According to a Cornell University study, unattractive defendants are 22 percent more likely to be convicted than good-looking ones. And the unattractive also get slapped with harsher sentences – an average of 22 months longer in prison.

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In serious cases with strong evidence, there was little difference in the conviction rate between attractive and unattractive defendants. But in more minor cases, with ambiguous evidence, jurors were more biased toward the good-looking.

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So ugly people are at a serious disadvantage; especially if they have only committed a minor offence. Who said life was fair.

hat tip Law is Cool