Quote:
Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul
I have never actually been on a jury. They always give me the boot when they're picking jurors.
I was on a panel for a triple murder drug deal gone bad and these guys on trial were giving me and all the jurors the stinkeye. I immediately thought "Guilty"
Really? are you going to throw dirty looks to the jury when you're on trial for murder?
I was the first person dismissed. The attorneys never even asked me a question. I was just sitting there. I never said anything. But the defense didn't want me and I was shown the door.
My neighbor was there coincidentally and she was next. No questions. She was out too. Maybe they saw us talking to each other.
Every other time we would get right up to the courtroom door as the trial was about to start and the lawyers would settle at the last minute and send us home. What a waste of time.
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I’ve served on 2 juries. Both times were over 20 years ago.
The first was for a guy manufacturing meth. That one was a slam dunk. The defendant looked like a squirrel on crack and the evidence was beyond overwhelming. Prior to finalizing jury selection the judge asked if anyone had used illegal drugs. I think everyone in the courtroom, including both attorneys raised their hand. He then added “not counting marijuana”. Everyone dropped their hand
The second was interesting and confused me at first. We were told there would be “two phases” in the trial. The guy was accused of trying to cash a stolen check. Again, evidence was overwhelming but I had to wonder why so much time and taxpayer money was being wasted on what amounted to (in my mind) a somewhat petty crime. The district attorney really had it in for this guy! Mind you, I do believe he should have been punished for it, but the process seemed excessive for the crime. Give him some jail time, fine him, and move on. After we found him guilty the judge then told us we would be entering the “second phase” of the trial. It was revealed this was the guys “third strike” felony (carries a sentence of 25 years to life in prison). Again I thought this was beyond excessive for the crime of cashing a stolen check...as did his public defender. Then we found out his 2 prior felony convictions were (1) armed robbery and (2) rape. I had to then wonder why in the hell he was out of prison and able to cash a stolen check?! He had gotten out due to loopholes or some other BS nonsense. I then realized why the district attorney was pushing the case so hard. Ironically the man went to prison for 25 to life for cashing a stolen check instead of his 2 previous SERIOUS crimes
