I’m Free!

Wow, what an ordeal.  I’ve never been so glad not to have been chosen for something.  Now that I have officially been dismissed from jury duty, I can give more details. 

So, are you ready for this?  It was an attempted murder case.  Yep.  A biggie!  Do any of you fellow Islanders recall

this case?

When we were first led into the court room, not knowing anything about the case, I had a bad feeling when the sign above the doors read “Criminal court”.  The feeling got worse when the judge started explaining the case and said it was an attempted murder case that could last until the new year.  I went absolutely cold inside when she read the defendant’s name and his charges.  I don’t remember the exact wording, but there were four separate charges relating to attempted murder in which a minor was present, and breaking and entering.  The creepiest part was that the accused was sitting with his attorney right in front of us, looking us over as the judge was reading out the charges.

For the next two hours, the potential jurors sat in the courtroom while the judge went through a series of questions designed to weed through unsuitable jurors.  The only question I could answer “yes” to was “Do you know any police officers or anyone associated with the legal profession?”  I had to answer “no” to the follow-up question, “Would this relationship have any affect on your ability to be impartial in this case?” 

Then we listened to everyone who had hardships, medical or otherwise, which varied from “My 91 year old mother is having medical problems and only speaks Japanese and I’m her translator,” to “I have a two week non-refundable cruise scheduled over Christmas,” to “I was in a car accident last year and shattered my spine so I can’t sit for more than 1/2 an hour at a time,” to “I’m the ruler of the universe and everything and everyone will cease to exist if I’m trapped in this courtroom for the next four weeks."   Unfortunately, being a stay at home mom whose children are at school all day and who doesn’t contribute to the family’s financial well-being doesn’t constitute a hardship. 

Several people were dismissed, dwindling our pool of 52 down to about 35.  The rest of us were taken back to the jury waiting room where we were given a questionnaire to fill out with more detailed information about the case.  That’s when I knew I had an out!   I knew the case sounded familiar, and when the questionnaire mentioned the accused pouring gasoline on his victims, my suspicions were confirmed.  Not only that, but I’ve met the victim.  She attended church once before the attack.  And her son went to school with my kids.  I remember hearing about it right after it happened, how she had been hiding from him because he had threatened her life, and how she was now in hiding again.  I know the accused is guilty, so there’s no way I could be an impartial juror. 

The questionnaires were turned in and sent to the judge to review.  After about 1/2 an hour, the bailiff came back and told several people to return next  Tuesday morning, and the rest of us to return Thursday (today) to be individually interviewed.  I was about 99.9% sure that I would be dismissed after the interview, but there was that little, tiny 0.1% bit of uncertainty.

This morning I arrived at 8:30 with 20 others.  Half of them were called out at about 9:30, and the rest of us sat waiting until 11:30.  Then we were called into the jury deliberating room, where two of the people from the first group were still waiting.  I thought for sure we wouldn’t be done by noon, at which time court recesses for a 1 1/2 hour lunch, and I would have to keep waiting, but things moved quickly and at 11:58 I was called in front of the judge.  The accused and his lawyer, and the prosecuting attorneys were all there.  I was so nervous!  My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking.  I didn’t know what they were going to ask me and I kept thinking of all the things I could say to try to get myself dismissed.  I had several arguments going through my head, and I was praying as well.  It turns out all I had to say was “OK,”  a few times, and “Thank you,”  then I was free to go!  The judge said something along the lines of me being too close to the victims to be a suitable juror, thanked me for my service, and said I was dismissed.  Whew! 

I have nothing against jury duty, but that would have been a tough case to sit through.  I’m very grateful I’m home now and won’t have to worry about going through anything like this again for at least a year, when my name can be added back to the jury pool.