I have jury duty on Monday. I've never had it before, and since I know that a lot of people consider it a pain, so I figured maybe I'd start this thread and see if anyone had any stories they'd like to share. So, any takers?
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Yep, I've had it...believe me, you WANT TO GET OUT OF IT. Here's how it worked when I did it. You went to the courthouse on the day they assigned. You have to miss work if your employed regardless. You then sit and fill out a questionaire, then wait around for a few hours. Then you're told to go home, and if you're fortunate, you'll get a call saying you've been eliminated from the pool. But if you're called back, you have to fill out another form with various questions of your opinions. Then if you're not eliminated, you get put in front of the lawyers to grill on any issue they seem to think about. Then if you're picked, you sit on the jury, get instructions from the judge that no one seems to read, then listen to a lot of boring arguments you don't care about while being paid crap to do it. Then you go back and fight with about 11 other people who are complete idiots who take the final instructions as the word of god that they can't deviate from, and after many pointless hours, you give up, let them do whatever the hell they want, and leave wishing you could have come up with a better lie to get off the jury in the first place.
Now all I have to do to get off jury duty is call up and say I'm in law school. They almost NEVER let anyone with the remotest training in law on a jury because lawyers, gasp, know the law. Often, lawyers from either side want to twist the law in a horribly contorted manner to favor their client. If someone actually knows what the REAL law is, they might tell the jury, and we can't have decisions based on sense, now can we?
But don't worry, Chris. I can't believe a lawyer would want a young male on a jury. Any white male from 18-25 is usually eliminated first because of bias assuming that they would not listen impartially.
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He went in and got picked. It was about a drunk driver. The judge said, "Does anyone have any connection to drunk drivers that may affect their choice?" So, my friend said his daughter had been hit by a drunk driver once, so he expected to get off. But, he didn't.
He was at the case and the defendant's lawyer was this 500 pound guy with a ton of gold teeth. He got the officer up on the stands and asked what tests he had administered to make sure he was drunk. So, the officer said that the defendant couldn't walk in the straight line. The lawyer than said, "The only reason he couldn't walk in a straight line was because he only has four toes on one foot!"
So then the officer said that he couldn't recite the alphabet. So, the lawyer than said that the defendant didn't go to school so he doesn't know the alphabet. A few minutes later, they decided to settle.
That was kind of.. Whoa!
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I've actually received summons for jury duty 4 times but only had to appear once. The first time, I was excused since I was a full-time student. The second, I was excused because I was teaching a summer course and no sub was available. The third time, I had no good excuse, so I had to take the day off and show up at county superior court for the jury pool. As Helen said, we filled out a ton of paperwork (BORING) and then waited. We didn't get to go home to wait. Instead, we sat in a large, uncomfortable room with Jerry Springer available 24/7. Thank goodness I brought a book. So, after a few hours, I was selected to go into a courtroom for selection. The case was a civil suit and one of the first questions asked of all of us was whether any of us had any strong feelings regarding child abuse. I'm not kidding, that was how it was phrased. I want to meet the horror-comic who doesn't. Sheesh. Okay, so then, they asked if any of us were clergy or religious or were acquainted with or related to clergy or religious. At that time, I was teaching at a Catholic high school. Then, they asked if any of us would have a problem serving on a jury for a trial which was likely to last about 9 weeks, 3 days a week. Well, remember the part about me being a teacher? Yikes. So, I ended up being about the first one tossed back out of the room by the lawyers. Now, I realize that we should all be pleased to do our civic duty with regard to serving on a jury, but I cannot help feeling the whole thing was a colossal waste of time. The fourth time I was summoned for duty, we were in the process of adopting our son and, technically, he was considered our foster child. The state required that he be placed in a state approved day care if I was going to put him in day care at all and searching out the right place was a huge problem. They excused me. Easier.
So, good luck to you, Chris. Take a book and maybe some valium...
What happens if you 'forget', skive or refuse to appear?
I AM KITCH, NOT RILEY, CJ OR CHRIS, GETTIT?
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This is the end, Beautiful friend
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But you'll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die
This is the end
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RIP Jim Morrison
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Wow, I should have worded that horror stories, right lmao? I have to call after 3:00 PM tomorrow (Friday) to find out is I have to show up on Monday. I kind of want to, but I'v just gotten rather sick and really don't feel like it any more. I'm hoping that I won't have to show.
Kitch, if you skip I think they have the right to arrest you since it's "your civic duty", but I'm not sure. I could be wrong.
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Chris is right, Kitch. If you don't show up, they place a warrant for your arrest. Basically, it's a crime here not to at least show up or call to complete your civic duties.
Oh, and while you'll never get this is Mass. as it banned the Death Penalty, if you live in Texas and you get jury duty, and a question is if you're death qualified, always reply that you don't believe in the Death Penalty if you want to get out of it. If any case involves the Death Penalty, they only let people on the jury who believe in the penalty (and strongly). I always find that ironic. We claim that we only allow fair, impartial juries of one's peers, but the law requires that the only people allowed on a jury in death penalty case must strongly believe in the Death Penalty. Seeing how only 48% of this country "strongly" believes in that penalty, how representative of a jury is that? Can you imagine being tried for such a crime, knowing that the people trying you all believe in frying you?
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Chris, here is how to get out of it...although you may get some funny stares.
Often they will ask you if the _____ of the defendant will influence your decision.
(The blank could be race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.)
If you say you think all Blacks are violent or all Gays should burn in hell or something to that effect you will be out the door quickly...although people will think you are a prejudiced bastard, but it may be a risk you're willing to take.
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I thought of that actually. But the city in which the Jury Duty is in is probably black in the majority. And by the cities reputation, I wouldn't be surprised if I was shot for saying that.
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I've never been called, altough I vote all the time, go figure. If I was called I'd probably be dropped because I have a police officer brother-in-law and also a nephew. (Oh, the stories they can tell!)
I think they pay you something, but probably not anything near what your time is worth.
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I don't vote yet, but my dad went and waited 8hrs in a room. He told me it was fun because they show movies and paid you, but boring cause he wasn't picked at all.
My 2nd cousin, Stan Jr. is retired from the CIA, they won't let him tell stories. But the stories would be so cool, full of action.
Jennifer
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Wow! I'm glad they don't do that here! They dont.... do they?
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Hmmmmmmmmmm..............If I can keep my thinking straight, I think that Orangebanana is in Italy??? If I'm incorrect, I apologize, too many
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You get paid less than minimum wage, and they rarely show movies.
And yes, it's VERY true that the only way you'll get picked for a first degree murder trial is if you believe in the death penalty. If you even say that you believe in it, but "it makes you uncomfortable" to apply it in less than extreme situations, you won't get on. You need to be death qualified and strongly believe in the punishment for every first degree murder situation with an aggravating circumstance. You'll never have a death penalty trial where even one of the jury members has a bit of discomfort with the penalty. Even if you strongly believe in the punishment, I think you can agree that it's counter to our system of laws to deprive anyone of an impartial jury of one's peers and instead replace it with a clearly bias panel...which is what happens.
Oh- AND NEVER DO WHAT PINCHY SUGGESTED!!!!!!!!!!
You can be held in contempt. Judges HATE when a person claims bigotry or prejudice towards a defendant because people use that so much to get off juries that the judge immediately suspects you're lying. They even hire psychologists in courts now to see if it's a fair assumption someone is truly biased. People who really are bigots tend to deny it at all costs. They try to cover their prejudices, so they won't admit it in open court. So when a person says "I think all Latinos are evil", the judge quickly assumes that you just want off and will reprimand you for it. If you claim hate, the judge won't just toss you out. Yes, it will get you out of the pool, but not before you wish you hadn't spoke in the first place.
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I thought she said she was from the UK.
My dad tolded me they watched 3 movies in the jury waiting room( you know the room you wait to be choosen for any case). He said they gave out popcorn too, but it was leftover stuff from a meeting. I want to be on a jury, it sounds fun.
Jennifer
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Oh, I forgot to say this before I responded.
The reason my dad saw three movies 'cause they only had three small cases in the court that day.
One was settled fast, one was canceled, and the last one was pushed back to a later date.
Jennifer
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About the death penalty, living in Texas it comes up a lot in classroom discussions, etc. One of the things I don't get about it is how other states want to abolish it. Come on! If your family member was murdered along with 7 other people, don't tell me you wouldn't want to see that killer die. Why would you just want to give the max sentence of life in prison and so the murderer could die after you? I just think its madness. If you kill someone, I believe that the people have the right to choose ro kill you back.
--I'm not old enough to have jury duty yet but my teacher's have it all the time (YAY subs!). They always say what a waste of time it is but really it depends on the case at hand.
Made in USA, but Texas to be more precise. If you mention that I have an accent I will kill you. Yall have a nice day now!
Don't get me angry, I'm running out of places to hide bodies.
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hmmm, I wish i WAS in Italy, but sadly.... no. Jenn was right, I am in the UK.
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Okaaaaay, I seem to have made a pretty embarrasing mistake. (Not that I claim to have any knowledge in this field) On that note, don't take my advice then :P
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*Crosses Pinchy off of list of good advice givers, "So, who's next?" he asks.*
I thought you were in Itally also, OB? Is someone here from Italy then? Because I'm sure someone was. I don't remember who though.
Yeah, I'll just bring a book I'm reading anyway, maybe cross my fingers for a movie.
Hmmm. I have a few police officers on my father's side of the familly. All in the same city as the jury duty, coincedently. Maybe if I throw out some names if they ask then that will work. Oh, and I have an uncle who is the fire cheif of that same city.
Old popcorn, Jenn? LMAO! I think I'll bring a lunch...
Chris, there defintily is an Italian here, I'm just not sure who it is.
My English teacher was on jury duty not too long ago. She was out for a week or so. It was lucky for me because I don't like her, but I'm sure it must have been really annoying for her.
"Wouldn't expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected?"
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*jumps up and down* I know! I know! Hallie P/HPfan is from Italy. I remember her talking about it.
And Chris, the best thing is to cross your fingers and hope for the best. lol
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Access denied--nah nah na nah nah!
"It is not MY fault that I never learned to accept responsibility"!
It takes 42 muscles to smile, so instead pick up your middle finger and
say bite me in a bitchy tone!
Thank-you for visiting reality, come again........... Now entering your life, welcome.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yay! I finally got a fanfiction account!!!http://www.fanfiction.net/~spangledacanary
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Blade, I could go on for pages about what is wrong with the death penalty, but I'll answer your direct question- WHY do states want to abolish it? The states who are abolishing it are the ones who found an unacceptable number of INNOCENT people on death row. The governor of Illonois (or was it Indiana?) put a temporary ban on it when there was a new person determined INNOCENT on death row almost every month. It is known for a fact that at least 30 INNOCENT people have been executed, and that well over a 100 have been found INNOCENT after sitting years on Death Row since the 1960s.
Well what about the people who had eyewitnesses say they did the crime? Eye witnesses are the most unreliable source of evidence out there. You can get a person to believe almost anything. This is a trick every prosecutor knows. A person traumatized with seeing such a crime usually doesn't remember much more than the weapon used, but will say almost anything, thinking it will make everything right...for how could the criminal justice system ever be wrong? Well, it's wrong a lot. Many people taken off Death Row were from witnesses supplying false testimony, not just DNA evidence.
In a system where we believe it's better that a hundred guilty men go free than to kill one innocent man, how can you justify an ideology that had the potential to kill a couple of hundred innocent people, and DID kill AT LEAST (conclusively) 30 innocents, and probably MANY more than that...it's just that the evidence there wasn't conclusive.
And Texas is the worst offender. There are more people on your death row there that probably are innocent than anywhere else. Just a few years ago, you had a man on Death Row who had only an eyewitness claim he had killed a person with no other evidence. His lawyer kept falling asleep in trial and once showed up drunk, but the Texas Supreme Court wouldn't reverse on those grounds because they stated that having an attorney present at all qualified as "competent counsel". Then guess what? The Texas police found a man who not only confessed to the crimes, but they had DNA evidence linking him to it. And how did the prosecutor react? He didn't take the other man off Death Row (his name was Robert something...it was large news in probably everywhere but Texas in early 2002). The man had keep appealing up to federal courts before anyone would care. Now how sad is a system where even the conclusively innocent have to fight OUT OF STATE to be released? The state would rather kill the man than to admit the mistake.
Yes, many people on Death Row are guilty of horrendous crimes. Maybe they do deserve to die for what they did. But how can you justify killing over a hundred innocent people just so you can see the blood of the guilty as well? What if it was your father who was wrongly accused and you knew it? Would you be monsterous enough to say your father's life was worth killing in order for other people to have similar vengeance? Many people never had the choice to say their loved ones lives were worth the price.
And apparently many other countries get that, because the US is the only western country to still impose the Death Penalty. Every other country with a strong belief in human rights abolished it. And in the death penalty crowd, we're one out of only 3 countries in the ENTIRE WORLD who will kill minors (children) along with adults. Pakistan abolished the practice just in the past couple of years. I think we only have company with the Congo (Mugabe...great human rights activist there, let me tell you...), and another African country. Yay us to be in such wonderful company).
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I had the same argument, but I knew Helen would say it better if I ignored it waited to see if she saw it. Yay me, good call. And good arguments, Helen.
Well, just about 9 hours before I have to show up. Tomorrow morning. Jury Duty. Oh fun! Now to go look for my book...
My mom got called to go be on the jury of a trucking case... some truck hit a guys car or something. My mom told the guy questioning her that her husband (my dad) was hit by a trucker (it was before I was born so IDK what happened) and they still wanted her on the jury. She said everyone that acted really stupid got off... like they'd ramble on or act confused. Or maybe they really weren't the brightest.. I dunno. But she ended up not having to go after she got selected cause it was settled in court woohoo. That's my only experience with it... oh and they made my poor 75 yr old grandpa drive somewhere in the south side of Chicago (not the best cases could be coming from there) grr.
------------------- "if you let them make you; they'll make
you paper mache; at a distance you're
strong; until the wind comes; then you
crumble and blow away"
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Did he try to have it moved? Mine was originally right after Christmas in some town I've never heard of, but I was able to ahve it changed (thankfully).
Apparently my dad surved on an actual case once. It was some rape case. I don't know much about it other then they found the guy guilty.
Here is a kick in the ass funny story. I woke up at about 11 and I was supposed to be at Jury Duty at 8! So I called them back and they let me put it off until December lol!!!
I ended up picking November though since I'm going back to school. I figure since I'll be in school in December I'll have finals and I wouldn't want to miss them. That would suck I suppose.
Just a little story backing up what Helen said about eyewitnesses being unreliable. In my Psychology class we were watching a video on how the brain can be influenced to the point that it believes that it actually saw something. They had an experiment set up with a few law students where a man came into the classroom and took the professor's breifcase and ran out. The professor then asked some of the students if they thought that they could definetly identify the person who took it. The professor then made a comment about the suspect that was false such as deliberately saying something false like "I think he was wearing a blue hat, but I'm not sure" when he really wasn't wearing a blue hat at all. The students then went into a room and were asked how sure they were that they could identify the person who took the professor's breifcase and most were pretty sure. They were asked to desbribe the suspect and nearly all of them said that they remember him wearing a blue hat, because the professor influenced them with his comment. Then they showed the students a sheet with pictures of 6 men, none of which were of the REAL suspect, and were asked to identify which man it was. Only one person out of about 30 people said that the man they saw wasn't on the sheet and the other 29 people said that they were extremely sure of their choice. Some of the people were given a sheet with a picture of the subject on it and only one or two identified the right person, and the rest were convinced that it was someone else. I also saw them do this experiment on Oprah once and they came out with similar results.
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Personally, I don't agree with the death penalty, but for different reasons.
Actually, I agree with Helen and Michele's reasons as well, but IMO, even if we could be 100% certain who the killer was and prove with infallability that that person killed someone else deliberately and with careful planning...I still would be against them getting the death penalty.
Why?
A number of reasons:
1) I don't believe that as a moral and civilized society, we have the right to end the lives of other people unless killing the guilty one will save an innocent life. (i.e. police shooting a kidnapper in a hostage situation as a last resort to save the victim...or self defense)
2) Too many killers would rather just get a lethal injection and die peacefully and quickly than live out the rest of their lives in a tiny cell with no freedom. Death, to them, is the easy way out and if their victims were horribly tortured, seeing them die peacefully doesn't always help the victim's family feel like thay have gotten retribution.
2)
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I agree with all opinions against the death penalty... I actually thought that most people were for it. I haven't read through all the points very clearly so I dunno if someone's mentioned this but people can and do change for the better. I've read a lot of trials/murder cases and one that really caught my attention was the outcome of Son of Sam (David Berkowitz). I wasn't alive during his murders but the outcome really amazes me. He's a completley changed man and has accepted life in prison ... he didn't even show up to one of his parole trials/hearings (eh? IDK) because he knows he doesn't deserve it. I know some people say it's an act but he has a website and everything... I just think that if a person can change and become better than I don't agree with having them killed as well... it doesn't bring back anybody or change the past.
Now I'm not the most educated person in the world (considering i'm only in 10th grade but hey I'm trying) but does anybody know what's going to happen to Sadaam? Is it an option to kill him? I'm very confused on how this is all going to turn out... then again I know a lot of people are... if anybody has any insight on this, do share.
------------------- "if you let them make you; they'll make you
paper mache; at a distance you're strong; until
the wind comes; then you crumble and blow away"
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Pinchy, I actually kind of disagree with your second reason... whose to say lethal injection is peaceful? I think it's a very inhumane (unhumane? eh..)to die. Plus I hear America is one of the only countries left to still use it which is really sad because we're supposed to be a modern country.
And actually inmates do have freedom and aren't just crammed in a tiny cell. I mentioned in my above post that David Berkowitz has a website meaning he has computer access...
------------------- "if you let them make you; they'll make you
paper mache; at a distance you're strong; until
the wind comes; then you crumble and blow away"
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Oh man, very sorry I'm making 3 posts in a row but I take back what I said in the above post about David Berkowitz having computer access. I looked at the site and it's hosted by a church in California or something...sry
------------------- "if you let them make you; they'll make you
paper mache; at a distance you're strong; until
the wind comes; then you crumble and blow away"
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David Berkowitz is a very rare example. He is a strong Christian now (although he still calls himself Jewish despite believing in Christ as the son of God). He's Christian in it's true form, not the fundamentalist "you're all going to hell" crap.
Many people after years on death row and appeals actually give up and say they want death rather than to spend another year without freedom. They find death better.
But I agree that the death penalty is morally wrong. It also shows what a hypocrite a person can be. You kill in order to make a point that killing is wrong. What a great example to set for your family and country. How morally superior are you for taking the life of another who also took a life?
What I also really hate is self-righteous persons who use the Bible to justify the death penalty, saying that their God condones this penalty. Well, I'm not Christian, but I have read the Bible. If I'm not mistaken, Jesus didn't seem really up on the death penalty, as he stopped a woman from being executed, pretty much stating the wrongness of such a penalty then. The only place I've found justification for the penalty is in the Old Testament, which condones killing a person for simply entering a temple without washing his hands (and yet says that if a man kills a woman, the man is only subject to a fine to that woman's father or husband). And I hate the quote everyone gives of an "eye for an eye". I read the passage, and it didn't seem like it was saying a life for a life...in fact, it seemed to be on financial matters, not life or death at all.
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I'm not sure of the passage you're referring to but the "eye for an eye" statement is brought up in just about every argument regarding the death penalty (that i have experienced). If I remember correctly (I may be totally off) it was some King/Ruler ... ah. Hammurabi, right? I really should've paid more attention in World History. Yeah. I wrote an essay on Hammurabi and his laws... very harsh. I remember something about a man being able to kill his wife if she didn't do something for him (or something along those lines.) Hm, what I remember doesn't really fit along with the death penalty. It wasn't murder on murder (as you said), more like burn the man who steals your food.
------------------- "if you let them make you; they'll make you
paper mache; at a distance you're strong; until
the wind comes; then you crumble and blow away"
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Eye for an eye is a passage that I have learned many times at Hebrew school. It does not mean literally an eye for an eye, it is interpereted to mean that if you damage something, you are responsible to pay for it. If you make someone lose an eye, you must pay them for it. The value of the eye is found by calculating the cost of a slave, then calculating the cost of a one-eyed slave. You have to pay the difference. It has nothing to do with capital punishment.
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The man with one neuron is king
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Chris, IDK if MA is the same as CT, but if you don't have any way to get to court you can get off. I don't have a car registered in my name, and you said in another post you aren't legally allowed to drive. If there's no public transportation within a mile walking distance, and you aren't insured (and in your case your parents can't drive you) they'll let you off. Just tell tham in order to get there you'd have to drive illegaly. It worked for me.
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Now, I realize that we should all be pleased to do our civic duty with regard to serving on a jury, but I cannot help feeling the whole thing was a colossal waste of time. The fourth time I was summoned for duty, we were in the process of adopting our son and, technically, he was considered our foster child. The state required that he be placed in a state approved day care if I was going to put him in day care at all and searching out the right place was a huge problem. They excused me. Easier.
