Just kidding.
The last time I checked in on this lovely blog, I was sitting in the "holding area" for all the people that were called into the Hall of Justice to serve as possible jurors. I was completely unaware of the process after that because all the people I spoke with (including Kev) said "Oh, you NEVER get called up to a courtroom"; "I was dismissed by lunch!". Well for me? No such luck. My juror number was called around 10:30am along with 64 others. We were guided up to a courtroom, handed a pencil and asked to take our seats.
The judge came in ("All Rise!") and explained we had the possibility of serving on the jury for this case which would be a criminal case (as opposed to civil). We were handed sheets asking us a series of questions regarding our opinion. Juror numbers were called, and when your number was called you were asked to have a "sidebar" with the judge, the prosecutor and defense attorney. You were then asked about your answers to the questions on the sheet and some open-ended questions, all by the judge. After hours of excusing/dismissing people from the jury box, my number was called. I spoke with the judge as the two lawyers listened in and gave my honest opinion/answer to whatever he asked. I clarify that this was my honest answers because so many people say "oh! You have jury duty? All you have to do is lie and say you can't serve on the jury because you are <enter ailment> <police officer you know> <etc.>" I wasn't interested in lying to a judge about some affliction or association that would "affect" my ability to be fair & unbiased while listening to the case. So, I was chosen to sit in the jury box. Lawyers (both prosecutor and defense) are allowed to dismiss jurors up to 10 times for whatever reason (they don't have to disclose). After 1 1/2 DAYS we finally had 14 jurors for the case. The next 1 1/2 days were spent listening to testimony from witnesses and hearing closing arguments.
There is no need to get into the specifics of the case. For me, this was truly a learning experience and was enjoyable (I won't say "fun" because it really can't be). My fellow jurors were nice people, there were some characters* but we got along, laughed while we were waiting for what seemed like forever in the jury room and ultimately made a cohesive/unanimous decision.
And hell, now I can at least say, "I've been on a jury". I think that deservers a T-Shirt, at LEAST.
* Quick side note on the "characters" that were on my jury, well one in particular...
There was one 20 year old, skateboarder on the panel. He was the biggest liar I may have ever encountered. With that said, the "mom" type people on the jury ate him up with a spoon.
Here are a collection of some of his "facts" about himself:
- He loves to skateboard
- He loves to BMX
- He loves to go on quads
- He loves to surf
- Surfing is better in New York
- He was addicted to acid, cocaine, marijuana
- He went to "juvey" for two years
- He's traveled to: Germany, Brazil, and Australia
- While in Germany he went on the Autobahn in his uncle's Ferrari and went 255 mph
- He's 20 years old
- He tried to have a skate park built in his town
- He demolished a snowboard while riding it (hard to do)
- He was in a coma for a month
- The Olsen twins haven't amounted to anything. (cue their billion dollar empire)
