Jury Duty Anyone?

[Ladyzekke]

Just curious I guess. I had Jury Duty two years ago, but they picked most jurors for that particular case in the First Group (I was in Group 3). Was a boring case anyway, a case of Who is in The Wrong When Someone Rearends You on the Road. Many potential jurors in Group 1 were disqualified because of prejudice LOL. Myself, at the time, was pretty open on the issue, until I drove home that day from the Court House and was REARENDED by an Asswipe'.

Anyways, I've moved into another county now, and have gotten yet ANOTHER Jury Duty inquiry in the mail!!

What I am curious about is... Has any of you out there in Ironworks Land ever had to do Jury Duty, and if so, did you actually get snagged into the jury for a case? And again, if so, please tell what the case was about and what your ultimate decision was and why.

Not sure how many hits I'll get with this thread, but we'll see I guess.

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[trux]

Originally posted by ladyzekke: Just curious I guess. I had Jury Duty two years ago, but they picked most jurors for that particular case in the First Group (I was in Group 3). Was a boring case anyway, a case of Who is in The Wrong When Someone Rearends You on the Road. Many potential jurors in Group 1 were disqualified because of prejudice LOL. Myself, at the time, was pretty open on the issue, until I drove home that day from the Court House and was REARENDED by an Asswipe'.

Once again, Angry Irony strikes another victim.

I've never been called myself, thankfully. If I was I'd be honest and do my job, but it's really not something I want to do.

Both my parents have been called, and my father's was actually a pretty crazy trial. An armed robbery case. Their decision wasn't too difficult though, as the evidence was overwhelming - at least this is what the papers said. He wasn't sequestered or anything I don't think, but he wouldn't tell me anything about it. Maybe because he wasn't supposed to or maybe because I was just really young at the time.

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a bunch of long hairs.
trux

[Ladyzekke]

yeah Trux, your Dad probably couldn't speak on the issue at the time, but it is OK once the trial is over. Perhaps he felt you were too young to later explain what happened in his particular trial?

Either way, it is a difficult thing I swear. I mean, we all sit and bitch about things we see on the news about certain "offenders" and "criminals" etc., and if you are like me, you spout out all sorts of opinions on what you would do if YOU were in that jury. "Fry Him!" LOL.... But seriously, when put in a totally realistic position, wherein you are on a jury and can Truly affect the future of a person, it is so powerful, you feel how important this job is, and you, or me anyways, feel like wussing out, cause who am I to judge? I have opinions, yes, but do I really want to make myself The Law and manipulate the outcome of a trial and change a person's life. I suppose it really depends. Some cases are set in stone, there is so much evidence, tis easy to say "Guilty" or "Innocent." But unfortunately, most cases are not like that, and it is a hard line to follow being able to decipher what is right and what is wrong, and wherein true guilt lies.

If any of you has ever been in my position, being a potential juror, you know what I mean.

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[trux]

Very very true! It's a daunting task. I don't look forward to ever having to do it.

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a bunch of long hairs.
trux

[Moridin]

Have got a 'summons' once, but like you LZ, I was far down the line and the jurors were selected long before me.

My mother was on a pretty hot case about 6-7 years ago. It was a rape and murder case in which the defendent carjacked a lady's car taking her with him and then drove out to the middle of nowhere and raped and killed her. The evidence was quite overwhelming (blood on his clothes, eyewitnesses, fingerprints in the car, and semen samples that matched) so it was a no brainer, but the trial lasted over a month and my mom was sequestered(sp) for the last two weeks of it. She swears on everything holy that next time she gets called, she is going to go in and act like a whacked out schizo just released from the 'hosipital'

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Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig
I've got to admit it's getting better, it's getting better all the time

I got a summons...for my ex husband...three years after he had moved upstate.
I called the office and told the woman he did not live in that county anymore and when she got her answers as to how did I know, she told me, "Well you are one kind woman! I would have let them haul my ex in for not showing up!"
With that the conversation ended and I could her her still laughing as she hung up the phone!
I have never been called...at least not that I know of LOL!

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You know childhood is over when a puddle seems like an obstacle instead of an opportunity.

Is Too! Is Not! Is Too! Is Not!

[John D Harris]

I got called once years ago it was a DUI case the guy's 2nd offense, I found out later he got stopped again (3rd offense) before his 2nd went to trial. I knew the guy by reputation (sp?) from high school, luckly the jury was picked before my number was called. I faced a real moral delima (sp?) I would have bet the farm that the guy was guilty, so to be fair I would of had to disqualify myself. But I know that the last thing we need on the road is a drunk driver.
A friend of mine's dad was the foreman and they found the guy guilty, so it worked out.

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"the memories of a man in his old age,
are deeds of a man in his prime"

[Yorick]

Winders that was so cool to read all that. I've never done Jury duty, and it's very sobering to hear you describe it so. Thankyou for posting it.



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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[DawnChaser]

I have been summoned for Jury Duty 3 times for Civil Court and once for Federal Court, in the City, and County of Los Angeles, state of California.

The first Civil duty consisted of me reading Dean Koontz for the week I was sitting in the lounge, waiting to be called. False alarm.

The second Civil summons found me on a case where a defendant was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, but the arresting officers made conflicting reports about the location the substance was found (near the defendant.) The trial lasted 3 days, with the jurors deciding the case in favor of the defendant.

The third Civil Case I went into the courtroom with presiding Judge Lance Ito, who was presiding over a racially motivated murder case. I was the next in line to be an alternate when the lady ahead of me attempted to excuse herself from the case (unsuccessfully), and I was released from duty.

The Federal duty was slated to last for 6 months if I was called for a case, with On-Call lasting 30 days. I remained On-Call (calling in every morning to see if I go to work, or got to the courthouse) for 2 weeks, then was released from duty.

Our system of government relies on the citizenry to provide "peers" to hear and decide cases presented to the court system. We each have a duty to perform this task when called upon.

"This forum shall come to order, or you will all be removed from my court!!!"

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[Donut]

I did jury duty about 20 years ago. In Britain you are called up for a period of two weeks and you sit on more than one case in that time. The first case was for fiddling expenses (about £3) but the second case was for fraud. The defendant was obtaining goods by pretending to be the King of Zululand. He had received two watches worth about £11k from Watches of Switzerland. When the employee from the shop was asked if he had asked the defendant to prove his identity he said 'oh no! you don't do that with Royalty'

He was finally caught trying to get tickets to Canada by pretending to be a doctor attached to the United Uations. He claimed to be related to Andrew Young who was then the US Ambassador to the UN.

In the jury room we quickly decided he was guilty but were embarassed to return to the court after only 15 minutes. Someone produced a thermos of coffee and another had tea and some biscuits appeared. We spent 30 minutes trying the expensive watches on and testing his medical equipment (patella hammer for reflexes, listening to our hearts with the stethoscope).

During the trial the defendant had broken down in tears and I thought that being in prison was going to be a terrible ordeal for him. Imagine my suprise when his previous was read out and I discovered that in the 13 years he had been in the country he had only been out of prison for 2 weeks. On one occasion he had been released in the morning and then arrested in the afternoon for trying to con some railway tickets.

Two other funny things happened. One day one of my colleagues on the jury interrupted the trial three times in one afternoon to have a pee. When he returned the third time the judge called him to the front of the court and asked if he had been to the pub at lunchtime. 'Yes', was the repliy. 'And how many pints did you have?' the judge asked cordially. 'Four' said the juror. 'Okay then', the judge said, 'I'll fine you £10 per pint for contempt of court'.

Similarly one woman was late back after lunch and the judge asked why she was late. 'I was in Harrods shopping' she said. 'Did you buy anything nice?' asked the judge. 'Yes' said the woman 'I bought a dress'. 'Let's see it then' said the judge. The woman produced the dress and showed the court. 'Very nice, and how much did that cost you?' '£40' was the reply.

You guessed it, £40 contempt of court.

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Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
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