Jury Duty Round 3

[kybearfuzz]

Another trial today, this one was for robbery, with the same prosecutor and defense attorney as my first. I was selected for the pool early and placed in the jury box. I thought that this one was going to be the one where I would serve and get it over with. I got through the prosecutor's questions without a hitch, then the defense attorney was asking questions again. He asked the group what reasons would cause a man to not take the stand in his own defense. No one was answering, so I finally raised my hand. I said that some people don't hold up very well under such pressure and the stuttering and stammering could be construde as lying or guilt.

I glanced over to the prosecutor's table after my answer and watched him mark on his grid sheet that mimicked the jury box. He went to the box that would have corresponded to my seat and I saw him make an "X" with his pen. I knew I had been eliminated, the jerk. I guess he only wanted stupid people who couldn't think! I was actually wanting to serve on this one, mainly because it was supposed to be quick. Oh well.

Off to work afterwards, I ate hot and sour soup from PF Chang's (oh so good) and got stuck in a four hour meeting. I'm pretty sure Dante thought of this kind of torture for his Inferno. It's the unwritten eleventh circle, the Dilbert realm. It's the circle with an unending meeting where nothing gets done and you have a full bladder.

Comments

If Only It Were Like A David . Kelly Production

[digibob.livejournal.com]

My experience with jury duty...

If you want to be selected, do not answer any questions. Act as if you are paying no attention. Read a book or sleep seems to be a widely accepted activity.

To avoid selection be attentive and answer questions thoughtfully.

Once you've accepted how jurors are selected you can become amused by the process. After the first week, I would make outlandish statements just to see their reaction. During one ridiculous case, one lawyer argued with me that he and his client weren't suing for the money and I just calmly insisted the only reason they were suing was for the money.

About a month after witnessing our courts in action. there was a big news story here about a trial when it leaked out the jury made thier decision by tossing a coin. If I ever need justice in Jefferson County, KY, I hope I can just arrange to go on Judge Judy.

Re: If Only It Were Like A David . Kelly Production

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I figured this method of exclusion out after I was eliminated. Of the four or five people who seemed to answer questions either side asked, only one of us actually made jury. The one who did was the one who answered a bit oddly. He was elderly and not quite all there.

Oh, I would have paid money to see you make your statements after selection. How many times have you served? You sound like you've been on more than one jury in your life.

Re: If Only It Were Like A David . Kelly Production

[digibob.livejournal.com]

That was just during the jury selection process -- I was never picked to sit on a jury. I was really tired when I commented -- I wasn't really clear about what happened.

And that period up on the subject line was supposed to be "E."



Hang in there baby, it's almost Friday!!