I managed to make it in to the courthouse on the light rail yesterday, it wasn't too bad going in. As I approached the courthouse, both entrances had a line of people out to the sidewalk, it looked like the security line at the airport. People were removing their bags and putting them through the scanner, placing keys, cell phones, jewelry in the bowl. The only difference was that we didn't have to remove our coats and shoes, which helped the line to go somewhat faster than the security lines at the airport.
So the courts work on Mormon time also. It was 9 am when I was approaching the courthouse and it was 9:20 when the court clerk brought us into the courtroom to take off where we left off the day before.
What a slow process it is in selecting a jury, after taking three 5 and 10 minute recesses and dismissing half of those in the jury box and selecting another 10 people and dismissing most of them, they were finally left with their 12 jurors and 2 alternates and I never had to be in that jury box. My name was in the middle of the pack and I believe if they had dismissed one more person, I would have been next. I was silently pleading for the attorneys to be done dismissing people.
For those that end up in a jury pool in the future, I noticed anyone who asked questions, had any objections or hesitations were dismissed. The last gal dismissed just broke down when they started to question her, she was recently robbed at gun point and it was an armed robbery case. I looked up the defendant on-line last night, and it looks like it is his first felony, he's 20, now he has a charge against him for having illegal drugs in jail, he doesn't appear to be the smartest chap. So sad.
Now for the ride home...so scary, I left about 12:30, the next stop was at the downtown mall and these two boys sit right in front to me, the seats are facing each other and one is just laughing and rolling around. My thoughts were what drugs is he on or whom did he just rob and should I get off on the next stop? The next stop looked worse than the previous one. Oh my gosh...then I start looking around and see other young men riding the rail, and they seem to know other guys on the train, but none of them are sitting together, they're scattered throughout the train car, you feel surrounded. Now really, should I get off on the next stop? But each stop in the downtown area looked unsafe. I stayed on and as the train moved out from the downtown area, it started to thin out, by the time it reached Fair Oaks I was not longer the only white person on the train. Anyway, I am home safe and sound, and I'm not sure I'd take the light rail again, not by myself anyways. I did leave all my credit cards at home in case I was robbed. :) Come on, I was in a jury pool for armed robbery, why wouldn't I think that way? Done for a long time I hope. Knock on Wood.
4 comments:
Wahoo!!! I am sure you are so relieved!!! Your light rail story made me have BART flashbacks. Scary. :)
That's terrible about the ride home. I hate that feeling like you don't have a corner to go in to get away from it all.
So I didn't understand though, were you part of the Jury or did you get to go home before the case?
Jill,
When they call in a pool for jury selection, they call 40 to 50names and this was just for this one case. In the Jury waiting room that day, I'd say 200 people of so were sitting around waiting and I didn't have to show up till 1 pm... Once called it depends on where you name is on the list is whom gets to be chosen first. Although, I wondered if those names got shuffled up a bit. They keep 14 for jury duty, 12 to sit in judgement and 2 alternates, who also get to show up everyday, but have no say unless one of the jurors get dismissed for some reason. For this jury they went through approximately 30 people just to get their 14 for jury duty and there were another 20 or so that didn't get called upon.
okay. What a confusing process. I hope I never get in that situation.
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