Off the topic, but the thing that makes me second-maddest about that trial is that Clark and Darden were then able to make a very nice living on the lecture circuit, collecting juicy fees for talking about the case they blew.
Yes. WIth all the physical evidence, it was a case for them to lose. The āDream Teamā didnāt break a sweat defending OJ.
Minor correction: during Bugliosiās time as a prosecutor, he lost one (1) felony case. He was 105 for 106, and 1.000 in capital cases.
Very cool to hear! I think they can make adjustments for most people. My last time going through jury selection but not picked, they had 2 women doing sign language for one person in the pool. I was dismissed before this other juror so donāt know if she was picked, but they really do try.
I have never had a problem with court schedules. I seemed to get a break every 2 hours or so and an hour for lunch. I only get 1/2 at work. So testing was never really an issue for me but YDMV.
2 Likes
To me it seems like a duty of citizenship, and Iād likely be well-qualified and happy to serve (if not dismissed during selection for some type of bias). I think our legal system is fascinating, and although Iām sure many lawyers are more than a bit over juries, itās a part of citizenship that Iād like to experience.
1 Like
Norm, my dog, started making a cough in the courtroom today. This is the sound that often precedes throwing up. Luckily that did not happen!
8 Likes
The one that gets me is the baby Caylee, with duct tape on her head, body in a green garbage bag, and thrown into the woods. The jury concluded that she died innocently in a swimming pool !!!
The system has always produced crazy aberrations and always will. Not trying to single out California, this stuff happens everywhere, but . . .
Remember the Menendez brothers? Got up in court, admitted they blew their parents away with a shotgun, and still managed a hung jury? (At least they were convicted at the retrial.)
And procedure, sentencing and corrections fail just as much. Remember Dan White? Walked into City Hall in broad daylight and full view, blew away the mayor and a city councilor and was out on the street in 7 years?
Oh, and if you want to make some easy money, just buy coffee at McDonaldās and scald yourself with it . . .
Human institutions are, unfortunately, designed, built and operated by humans. Theyāre flawed and always will be. Best we can do is keep trying to fix whatās broken and make it better. Itās a journey, not a destination. Sorta like diabetes. 
1 Like
Itās so very funny how some get picked more often than others. I get picked all the time! My husband just said the other day that I should be getting another jury notice. Itās about every three years for me. And I think I have finally figured it out. They pull from DMV and voter registration. I have my name listed differently on those two documents. So, Iām thinking that is why I get pulled so often. Really need to change one of them, but like you said, it is a privilege to do it and it is something I think everyone should do if they can.
Itās common to talk about the freedoms we enjoy and the fact that people have died to secure them. What isnāt mentioned as often is that bedrock things we just take for granted, like trial by jury and innocent until proven guilty, are not the norm in most of the world. Those two things (among others) derive from the English Common Law and itās chiefly people lucky enough to be born in English-speaking countries who grow up with them as a matter of course. Itās easy to forget that the majority of human beings on the planet donāt live under a system that guarantees those things.
Me, I thank my lucky stars I was born here.
I agree! With all the issues we may have, I wouldnāt want to live anywhere else!
And lets not try shaming those who are unable to serve, eh?
Iād like to provide a post-jury service summary for those who might be interested. My jury service came to a disappointing end as I found myself disagreeing with the majority of my fellow jurors. This was a civil case and the rules required a super-majority of 9 jurors of 12 agreeing on the amount of money to award the plaintiff.
The trial started on Tuesday and the jury didnāt deliberate until about 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. When I entered the jury room for deliberations with my CGM glucose trending slowly down from the high 70ās (low 4ās). I was expecting for the CGM to level out and that did not happen.
While I was distracted with the start of deliberations, my BG kept slowly falling. I started to feel hypo symptomatic and checked with fingerstick. It showed a 67 (3.7). I ate one glucose tab even though I donāt usually treat until I fall below 65 (3.6). My CGM was tracking well and I ate 2-3 more glucose tabs in the next 30 minutes. During that time another finger poke revealed a 57 (3.2).
I was taking part in the discussion although I was not feeling at 100%. Unfortunately, it was during this time that most of the jurors took a position for the defendant. My sense of justice stood with the plaintiff. Mine and one other jurorās comments helped move the award from very low to just low. This is where the verdict settled.
Reviewing my participation, I felt badly. Even though my BGs were at levels where impairment begins, I didnāt feel completely disabled. The vote was 10-2 in favor of this verdict, so it wasnāt a close case. My uneasiness with my participation stems from me wondering if my BGs were in a better range, perhaps I could have said something to help move the jury closer to my position. I did my best and it wasnāt a close call.
I still feel uneasy with the outcome this case. The plaintiff was a woman who suffered permanent bodily damage and left to endure lifelong chronic pain. It also left her physically disfigured. I found her case compelling but my fellow jurors did not.
Thinking back, I wonder if I should have stopped the deliberations until my BG came back in range. It would have been a 45 minute delay for a room full of jurors that just wanted to be done. I donāt think it would have mattered except to my personal view of my performance as impacted by diabetes. I now wonder how I will handle future summons for jury duty.
1 Like
Terry, your experience is a testament to why I no longer serve as a juror (Iāve been on a civil trial jury that reached a verdict). I donāt want to be responsible for interrupting the proceedings for my medical needs, and I know there are times when itās impossible for me to concentrate, due to bgās being too low or simply being anxious about a downward trend. Iām not trying to āshirkā my civic responsibility. Iām trying to avoid being a PITA for the court.
I get where youāre coming from, @Dave44. It is a judgment that I think may only be made by each person.
When I see the full spectrum of abilities in society, I think even on a bad day, I have a lot to offer. But I have a high sense of responsibility for things I care about. I remain conflicted at this point and Iāll have at least two years to think about it.
This, like so much in life, depends on the vantage point from which you view it, and everyoneās is their own. I have served on two juries, one civil and one criminal. Both went to verdict and in both cases we found for the defendant. So my experience was entirely positive and I am satisfied with the outcomes. Iād eagerly do it again.
It all depends, doesnāt it?
I get sad each time I send in the paperwork in response to a Jury Duty summons. I feel bad knowing that there are so many that shirk (they have no legit reason not to be on a juryātheir employer pays them, the trial is a short one, and they have no medical issues or family matters that would preclude them from being at court instead of at work) their civic duties and I feel like Iām adding one more to the list, even though I know its really the right thing to do, given my issues.
Last Jury summons, I was excused before going to courthouse after questioning what support I could depend upon and if medical assistance would be readily available.
the courts here donāt want to have to deal with people with pre-existing issues that they should have told the court about, when they received their summons. the court docket is CROWDED!