Giving me the boot!

Well I did it. I went and got myself kicked out of the jury! Maybe I should tell you how it happened from the beginning.

As you all know, I wasn't looking forward to serving jury duty at all, but I did go and try to do my civic duty.

First off , 34 potential jurors showed up for this trial. That is a huge amount of people for this little county that I live in. I was thinking since so many people came, they would surely not choose me.

So anyway,we get inside the courtroom and the judge starts going over a list of rules and laws pertaining to be picked as a juror. Then they start calling out names for the first set of 12 people to go and sit in the jury box (I think that's what it's called, right?).

Well guess who's name is 3rd on the list? Your right, it was me.

We all sat down in these really hard chairs and were grilled by the defense attorney for 2 hours.
Then it was the prosecuting attorneys' turn. Some of the questions they asked were really personal and in some cases embarrassing for some people.

We were finally given a 1 hour lunch break. I spent most of my lunch buying baby clothes and things that she will need, but I will have to talk about that in another post.

After lunch we all pile back into the courtroom and continue to be questioned by the lawyers. A few people started getting dismissed for a variety of different reasons, but I was still hanging in there.

Finally the judge starts talking a little bit about the case, and I realize that I am related to the murder victim. Well to be honest with you, my cousin is married to the victims sister. This is a family member that I am not that close to, but he is still family.

I decide that this is important information, so I raise my hand a tell this to the judge.

I am then questioned further as to whether I could be impartial in a case where I have family involved. I think about it for a second and agree that yes, I can be impartial and go with the facts of the case and not with how I think it will affect my family relationships.

We are then given a 15 minute break. I call my husband to let him know how things are proceeding, and to tell him I think I will be picked.

Once back inside, I am questioned again by the prosecuting attorney. He keeps asking if I really believe that I could be impartial when this case involves a family member. I adamantly say yes. I am honest and would not let family ties pull me in either direction.

He then ask the judge for a few minutes to confer with his client. As they are talking, the accused man keeps looking at me and smiling. It makes me a little uncomfortable so I just stare at the exit sign in the back of the room.

Finally, after 5 minutes the prosecutor says thank you for your time Mrs. L, but we don't feel like we can keep you because of your family connections to this case.

The judge thanks me for my time and tells me I am dismissed. I am given a $10.00 voucher for spending 4 hours trying to do my civic duty.

I guess in the end the accused had the final say so as to who would be decding his fate, so I really can't blame him for giving me the boot.

Stephanie