Rachel, I have no history for this but just the phrase construction
suggests the meaning is buried some where in the past. The fixing
ofsomething in an improper way (tape, bubblegum, and bailing wire as
opposed to the proper nut, washer, bolt and the appropriate wrench) is
inferred I think, as in "getting the job done(hanging, stealing, etc) by
"fixing the jury" or "the jury was rigged to obtain a certain outcome",
thus "jury rigged", an outcome obtained by improper means, but the same
outcome none the less.

Jury rigging also has an oldtime sailing days connotation in that ....if
I remember correctly ... there were jury masts that made up part of the
sailing vessels system of masts and sails. Jury rigging was part of the
assembly of lines(ropes), sheets,(more ropes), and halyards (and more
ropes - I think) that were used to hold the sails or adjust the sails,
and associated booms and yardarms  on a particular type of sail
application.

I really don't think there is any negative connotation to the term or
even a particular connection to a group of people unless it might be the
English. There was a time when their sailing vessels and sailing prowess
were the envy of the world.

At the risk of creating an uproar and being politically incorrect, I
will tell you there is a term that has been used related to "rigging",
and that is "nigger-rigging". It implys an improper way to make things
work, with the outcome being less than desired. The expression was/is
used even today, particularly in the Deep South.  To me personally it is
vile, offensive, and disparaging of a people who have carried a great
burden in this country. But none-the-less, it is still in use.
Fortunately, it's common use is dying out.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Rachel Cogent wrote:
>
> Entity Jere & Beth Hawn spoke thus:
>
> > Dan,
> >
> > I have/had the same problem however I've jury-rigged
>
> Q: what exactly is "jury rigged"? I always thought maybe this was a WW2
> slang, possibly offensive, borrowed from the Germans (Jerrys, Jerrycan,
> etc).
> Maybe some of you old-timers/Germans/pedants can expound...
>
> Gnarlodious