Well, I got released from service. Turns out it was a murder trial. Considering where I work, I knew I wouldn’t get selected. However, it would have been nice to have the option to leave upfront vs waiting 4 hours just to get kicked to the curb.
I was excited and really wanted to do it. I tend to be very fair-minded and think I could have made an honest unbiased choice. It is not my job to decide guilt or innocence or even determine if you were involved. I simply decide which service you need and how fast you need’em. Not really a conflict in that regard. The conflict comes in because I have access to secure confidential databases of the criminal variety. Ok, I can agree w/that. It still would have been nice to do it. Unlike a lot of folks, I feel it is my civic duty as a citizen to go for jury service. I’m fortunate in that I wouldn’t have lost any income. Not everyone can say that, so no judgments. (pun intended)
Besides waiting and waiting and waiting, the overall process was simple. Show up, pool into a room, get randomly selected from a list for different depts (courts) and then off you go. I just so happened to get the month long murder trial. Since this was only the pre-screening, we didn’t see the defendant or even know exactly what had happened. Then we were sorted into two groups, Group A – yes available and no hardship, Group B – hardship or possible conflict. I was in group B obviously. I was the very last juror polled. However, when it got to my job description the judge cut me off and said, “Ok, that’s it you are excused”. So much for big drama. Damn!
The one good thing is I get out of work with pay for the rest of the day!
I heard once from a lawyer who selects the jury, that the more educated you are or perceived, the less likely you will be picked.
I actually sat on a jury last year… the DA sucked and could not prove her case very well, even though the guy was pretty shady… even the cop was a newbie and could not get his stuff together…we sat through an hour long trial… went in the room… mad a decision in 2 minutes (not guilty) and then sat and chatted, read the paper… told stories… then buzzed them… so we all got out of work that day… it was pretty cool… but it was no murder trial…
I have never been selected but I have been called as a witness. Had to fly across the country to be present for the case, spent the whole day out in the “lobby” and near the end of the afternoon session was told I would not be needed.
My mom however, did get selected for a really gruesome murder trial. We (my sister and I) got to skip school for the day and come down and watch the trial – was pretty cool.
Closest I have come….
What, you didn’t go back into work to finish off your shift? For shame! *giggle*
I did serve on a jury a few years ago – once they kicked out their fellow lawyers and people who admitted to hating cops, there weren’t many of us left. The guy was pretty stupid, having waived his gun around at a SWAT team (“I didn’t realize they were cops”), although we got stuck with a couple of college kids who were convinced that one can never know the truth… well, until it got close to the end of the day and everyone realized we’d have to come back tomorrow if we didn’t reach a verdict – ding! Instant compromise. Afterwards the judge came in and pretty much told us that, yeah, the guy was guilty as heck, and now I get to throw the book at him. 🙂
dude — I randomly happened on your blog and just wanted to say hi — I’m a good ol southern boy too — Memphis. Like the blog. Will keep reading. BTW — know all about juries. As they say in that Grisham novel Runaway Jury “Trails are much too important to be trusted to juries”.
dude — I randomly happened on your blog and just wanted to say hi — I’m a good ol southern boy too — Memphis. Like the blog. Will keep reading. BTW — know all about juries. As they say in that Grisham novel Runaway Jury “Trails are much too important to be trusted to juries”.
I sat on a jury earlier this year…..it was only about a 2-3 hour trial. Now I’m good for at least 2 years. 🙂