When Criminal Pasts Catch Up...
August 28th, 2006 09:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shiredancerSo, I had to report for jury duty today. Oh well, my "vacation" was done, work is still fairly quiet (I guess -- having been gone a week, I'm not entirely sure), the University hasn't started yet, so really, it was a pretty ideal time to be called. I was ready to perform my civic duty.
And it was interesting, too! They've built an all-new jury room across from the main courthouse, and the trial itself was to be held in new superior court chambers located where the municipal court used to be -- much smaller and far less intimidating than the huge old rooms in the courthouse proper. (The courthouse, BTW, has got to be the most exquisitely beautiful government building in the country... I've explored most of its hidden nooks in my 34 years here, and long ago played my recorder with a friend under the arches to enjoy the acoustics. A very nice court clerk reminded us that court was in session and although everybody enjoyed the music, we needed to find a different spot. Hee.)
There was the usual introduction of the court case and an anticipated finish by the end of the week -- all doable, so if I were to be selected, well, okay then. I would actually *like* to be selected under these circumstances. And after a few people had been eliminated for various reasons, I was called up. Now, speaking into a microphone and in front of any kind of group makes me just a bit nervous, but I rattled off the information requested. But that's when my criminal past caught up with me. One of the questions was whether we, or close family members, have ever been charged with a criminal offense -- and of course, I have. So *that* had to be told (and I couldn't actually remember if it was a criminal offense or not, but the judge solemnly informed me that indeed it was. Hee, again.) I thought it might slip by, but just a bit later and without any explanation (and of course they don't need to explain anything) the prosecutor excused me. And I'm just sure it's because she viewed me as some sort of scoff-law overly-liberal type. Okay, okay, I can see her point! But I really do feel that I'm basically a good, law-abiding (mostly) person, who can be relied upon to be impartial and fair. I really do. And it kind of saddens me that this whole legal system is never going to recognize that. Oh, well. My supervisor at work is happy about it. Still, it was the first time that I felt like that incident from long ago (and something that I actually take quite a bit of pride in) really is going to follow me around, and I'll most likely never get to be on a jury. 90% of the time, I'd feel fortunate for that. Just, that other 10%, like now -- just, dang!
And it was interesting, too! They've built an all-new jury room across from the main courthouse, and the trial itself was to be held in new superior court chambers located where the municipal court used to be -- much smaller and far less intimidating than the huge old rooms in the courthouse proper. (The courthouse, BTW, has got to be the most exquisitely beautiful government building in the country... I've explored most of its hidden nooks in my 34 years here, and long ago played my recorder with a friend under the arches to enjoy the acoustics. A very nice court clerk reminded us that court was in session and although everybody enjoyed the music, we needed to find a different spot. Hee.)
There was the usual introduction of the court case and an anticipated finish by the end of the week -- all doable, so if I were to be selected, well, okay then. I would actually *like* to be selected under these circumstances. And after a few people had been eliminated for various reasons, I was called up. Now, speaking into a microphone and in front of any kind of group makes me just a bit nervous, but I rattled off the information requested. But that's when my criminal past caught up with me. One of the questions was whether we, or close family members, have ever been charged with a criminal offense -- and of course, I have. So *that* had to be told (and I couldn't actually remember if it was a criminal offense or not, but the judge solemnly informed me that indeed it was. Hee, again.) I thought it might slip by, but just a bit later and without any explanation (and of course they don't need to explain anything) the prosecutor excused me. And I'm just sure it's because she viewed me as some sort of scoff-law overly-liberal type. Okay, okay, I can see her point! But I really do feel that I'm basically a good, law-abiding (mostly) person, who can be relied upon to be impartial and fair. I really do. And it kind of saddens me that this whole legal system is never going to recognize that. Oh, well. My supervisor at work is happy about it. Still, it was the first time that I felt like that incident from long ago (and something that I actually take quite a bit of pride in) really is going to follow me around, and I'll most likely never get to be on a jury. 90% of the time, I'd feel fortunate for that. Just, that other 10%, like now -- just, dang!
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no subject
Date: August 29th, 2006 06:07 am (UTC)Fully a third of the jury pool was "excused for cause" due to having had a problem, either at present or in the recent past, either personal or in their immediate family, with meth abuse. O.O One. Third. And those with felony convictions had already been weeded out of the jury pool!
You and me, we're pikers in this lawlessness business. But yeah, I hear you. I wanted to serve, too; it was no fun to be summarily dismissed when I had lined up my life so that I could do my civic duty.
no subject
Date: August 29th, 2006 06:28 am (UTC)This was a DUI case, fairly simple-sounding (one person only, no injuries or anything... just a "was he or wasn't he" kind of thing, I think), and probably about a quarter to a third of the people called by the time I left, including me, had lost a loved one or friend, or had a relative who lost a loved one or friend, to a DUI incident, or had been in a DUI incident themselves (two as the culprit). Shocking, really. And it makes you appreciate the difficulties of finding a good jury pool out there.
Ummm, what's "pikers", luv??
no subject
Date: August 29th, 2006 06:35 am (UTC)Pikers:
1. a person who does anything in a contemptibly small or cheap way.
2. a stingy, tight-fisted person; tightwad.
3. a person who gambles, speculates, etc., in a small, cautious way.
I meant definition #1. Small-time crooks, that's you & me. We only dabble in the wild side.
;-D Pirate, and a good man.
no subject
Date: August 29th, 2006 06:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: August 29th, 2006 02:25 pm (UTC)I was on jury duty in Long Beach in the 80's. I was on one jury where the case was about drug dealors. We all felt the guy was guilty as sin, but they didn't prove their case, so we had to let him go. Very frustrating. Then I was called for another case, a DUI with a death. I told them the truth: my dad was an alcoholic, and my good friend (and four others) had just been killed by a drunk driver and I felt they all the drunk drivers should be taken out and shot. I was excused from that jury.
no subject
Date: September 1st, 2006 08:01 pm (UTC)It was rather shocking to see how many in the jury pool had been personally affected by DUIs. And sad. People have *got* to stop doing that; you'd think everybody would know better by now...
no subject
Date: August 29th, 2006 03:14 pm (UTC)But at least you got to take a look at everything and have an interesting day despite the disappointment.
no subject
Date: August 29th, 2006 04:13 pm (UTC)I've sat through enough trials for school and work that I'd do anything I could to stay off a jury. Yeah for civil disobedience though!