Jury Duty: Serve It With Honor

I was called again, this time in Raleigh, last spring. I was a little conflicted, I must say, because I am now a consultant and only get paid for the work I do.

My conflict was wanting to be on a jury, but worried about how much work I would lose. I rearranged by schedule to accommodate the Thursday I knew I would be there and just let the rest of it take care of itself.

I took a good book, and whiled away the morning, then got a greasy lunch at the court cafeteria. I figured the day would end this way, but then I was called to go up.

Now, just like the first time, names were called but I was one of the first. I took my place in the juror box and we were asked questions as a group and individually. I don't remember what the public defender asked, just that they questions seemed to have something to do with the case.

The prosecutor asked a lot of questions about Law and Order. By the time he was finished we all knew who everyone's favorite characters were and what were the favorite episodes. I got a laugh when I said that Curtis was my fav because he was so gorgeous!

At first that made sense, getting to know people, but that was all he asked! He wasn't much better with the witnesses.

I was afraid they would ask me to leave, but no, just a few people left, one a guy who had to pick his daughter up after school. They were not heartless. Of course, the whole thing was topped when the jury named me foreperson, aka, the only person who wanted to do it!

The case was a criminal assault. A man was accused of beating up a woman. Boy I would have loved to have convicted him! But it wasn't that easy, so I had to use the brain.

BTW, for those of you who think they don't care about your time, I disagree. The jury was chosen right after lunch, and they started the trial immediately, it was finished by 4:30 and we only had to come back to decide the verdict the next morning. Wow, I was impressed.

So the case was this: A older man who lived in a rented travel trailor had been beaten very badly several months earlier. He couldn't work so he invited this young woman in to share the rent. I think she owed him money on the deal, but basically it was working out pretty well. However, one night they both got drunk, she went to the bedroom to sleep and he fell out on the couch. They both agreed to this.

However, she then stated that he suddenly started viciously attacking her. He said that she started it. She left the trailer, in her night gown and bare feet and ran a football field or two. Someone let her use their phone and she called a friend. They had pictures of her feet, but one would expect feet that had run on a gravel lot would be cut. They didn't call the police until two days later, when her boyfriend insisted.

That was it. Now, when we met the next day, I have to say I was impressed with the thought people put into it and that they didn't over think anything.

There was a man who basically said he was reluctant to lock a man up for this kind of thing. Had I seen more merit in the case, I would have had a come to Jesus meeting with him, but there just wasn't enough here.

But the jury worked well together. We reminded each other of the facts, and there was not a agreement after the first vote. But no one was really convinced of the guy's guilt. We acquitted.

I was disappointed that it was the judge who announced the verdict, unlike on TV. I felt bad at the distress that the 'victim' showed at the verdict, but knew she was safe. The defendant, who had been in jail for a couple of months about this, seemed a little confused.

And then it was over. A little anti-climatic, frankly. I joined a crowd near the elevator, where people were talking to the male prosecutor. I think someone asked him about all those "Law and Order" questions.

I went over to the lady public defender and asked why I was left on the jury when people of my profession usually get tossed. It turns out that her mother did my job, and she knew we were good people.

She asked me about the verdict. I told her that none of us totally believed either one of them and I thought that the fact that she did her homework while the prosecutor didn't, helped the ultimate verdict.

I got out in time to go to my two afternoon appointments! The whole thing took a day and a half. I wouldn't have missed it if it had been longer.

If nothing else, I have a different perspective when I watch "Law and Order".