Try for a second to imagine being charged with a crime you didn't commit. You would plead not guilty, right? Wouldn't you want the smartest and most competent jury possible? I am guessing yes.
This can only happen if more quality people quit dodging jury duty. Yeah, it's a pain in the ass. But you might be the difference between setting an innocent man free or paying for an innocent man to be locked up.
I am just saying think about it.
Now getting off the soap box.
This can only happen if more quality people quit dodging jury duty. Yeah, it's a pain in the ass. But you might be the difference between setting an innocent man free or paying for an innocent man to be locked up.
I am just saying think about it.
Now getting off the soap box.
Many take this civic duty very seriously and over hundreds of years, millions have done their part to build a judicial system that allows us to live day to day with the expectation of freedom, justice, and fairness (the issue of gov't surveillance on us brings these issues uncomfortable close). Decide for yourself, but I have found the 'duty' interesting and challenging. Besides, as a sports gamer, you vote on hundreds of trials each year and have many skills that might make you an exceptional juror.
I hate the judicial systeym from head to toe. Every member on the supreme court is a gutless coward on the take. There isnt 1 honorable judge. Locally Cops and Da's overcharging innocent people. Defense attorneys all lazy scumbags who will talk out of both sides of mouth.
Look at the presidental candidate on both sides, they are lying scumbag lawyers. I wouldnt give 2 cents for America right now. Hillary and Rudy front runners.:bigfinger
Look at the presidental candidate on both sides, they are lying scumbag lawyers. I wouldnt give 2 cents for America right now. Hillary and Rudy front runners.:bigfinger
Just don't respond to their summons when they mail it to you and eventually you will be taken off the list. Unless it's sent with registered mail, they can't prove that you received it.
If you demonstrate a pattern of showing up for jury duty, then they will call you in once a year because you're dependable in their eyes.
If you demonstrate a pattern of showing up for jury duty, then they will call you in once a year because you're dependable in their eyes.
I automatically postpone it for a year, then my state allows you to refuse if you served ( or were called in) during the last 3 years, you can decline if over 65, I think it is.
I wouldn't want my case decided by 12 people that don't want to be there, therefore I think service should be voluntary.
We could make it a job, have people be professional jurors.... but wait it pays like $40 a day.
It's almost like a speedtrap in CT, you can just not show up and pay a fine of about $100.
I once wanted to do it, but wasn't selected. It would have got me off of graveyard shift, and USPS would pay you full wages while you serve, and don't go to work.
I wouldn't want my case decided by 12 people that don't want to be there, therefore I think service should be voluntary.
We could make it a job, have people be professional jurors.... but wait it pays like $40 a day.
It's almost like a speedtrap in CT, you can just not show up and pay a fine of about $100.
I once wanted to do it, but wasn't selected. It would have got me off of graveyard shift, and USPS would pay you full wages while you serve, and don't go to work.
I don't think you can find a jury pool of your peers, no matter what the race, age, creed, gender. I got stuck a few years ago and I sat on one of the easiest cases imaginable. Some kid got busted driving something like 400 lbs. of pot over the mexican border in a Honda. The car had secret compartments all over it. There were pictures of the car after it was emptied out and there was litereally a brick of pot on every inch of the car and stacked three feet on the trunk. It was hands down a no brainer.
The defense was that the kid randomly met some guy named Ramon down in mexico on day, who offered to sell him the car at a great price. The kid put the cars name in his mom's name (without telling her....even though he owned two other cars in his name) and after paying for it...Ramon said he needed another two weeks to finish the transaction...by the time the kid went down to drive it home, it had been loaded with the pot. It was so altered that the seats had been raised 6 inches and didn't move, so the kids knees were on the steering wheel and he had to literally duck to drive. he claims he didn't notice it...but when he pulled through the border, the agents sure noticed it. The kid also confessed. There was so much evidence against the kid that I thought we'd be behind the door for less than five minutes.
Forward to Jury debate. The initial poll was in favor of the kid! We were stuck in that room for 7 days. By the end, one soccer mom said the Mexican Drug Cartels were watching for our verdict and if it was guilty we would each be killed. Another angry brother basically said "fuck the system" I don't care if he's guilty, I like to smoke pot. Obviously it ended in a hung jury.
This is the mindset of a jury pool. I will never do it again, I don't care what the penalty is.
BTW, sorry i didn't get a chance to meet you at the bash and although I only briefly noticed it, I couldn't figure out what your T-shirt meant!
Also sorry we didn't get a chance to talk. The shirt is in reference to first day of the next president (at least in theory. ha ha).
Great story. I also was on a fairly simple case about a year ago, but with none the consequences and 20 minutes of deliberations. I can't imagine 7 days of hashing over the same subject with people who could not see it my way. That had to be intense just sitting around 8 hours a day talking about the case. And the Mexican mafia comment would have seriously tried my patience.
Given your unique experience, they should exempt you from ever having to serve again.
