Memoirs of a Jury Duty Person ~ (Final) Part 4

10:14pm.

No, no that's not when it ended. That's just what time it is right now. After the post from Sushi Deli, things moved quickly. So quickly, that I was out and about and thinking nothing of it.

I returned to the courthouse around 2:30pm, and we all started to flood back in. The mood was noticeably lighter than when we had left. Before, people had dug out their dark memories of crime related incidents which really had no bearing to the subject of the current case, but was revealed nonetheless on the suggestion of the judge. I suppose there might be some kind of therapeutic sense to bringing in past experiences and reflect them against current events. Either way, everyone left feeling a bit stressed, and others had already shed a few tears as they unburied sadder times of their lives.

We would have started sooner but a handful of people hadn't shown up at the same time (Read as: Late). I really wouldn't fault them because as 'organized' as the Judicial System was, their method for how you enter and exit their buildings were cryptic and confusing. There are several opportunities to lose ones way in the maze of escalators and elevators.

After the judge scolded everyone for the error of the few, we continued with the jury selection. A handful who had clearly expressed their bias and disdain of the matter had already been removed, and I was under the impression that the 'Backup Jury Pool' would be tapped into for replacements.

I was wrong.

Apparently, the Primary Jury Box does not pull from the Secondary Box. It pulls STRAIGHT from the Secondary Backup Pool. (The one I was 'swimming' in.) So, imagine my shock as the person seated beside me was put RIGHT into the empty spot of the primary box, and I was now shuffled into the 'Secondary Pool'. I was now a little apprehensive. If I was selected, I would be giving up the next 2-3 business days.

With the new reshuffling, those who were 'new' to the Primary and Secondary Box were then asked to recall their questions and introduce themselves. Without saying anything about the case, I made it clear that I was "Extremely Unbiased, and would make an EXCELLENT impartial juror".

More people were removed from the primary, and suddenly, I was sitting in a Primary Jury Box Seat. Holy butt nodes.

Now it was time for the Prosecution and the Defense to toss people out.

Time: 3:50pm.

The State Defense attorney smiled, paused, and said : "The state counsel would like to thank, and dismiss Romel Autus."

I had no biases. I had stated no reason why I would not be impartial, and here I was, getting hoisted off the boat.

While a handful of jurors before me, kicked and screamed and bitched and moaned about how they were nervous about casting judgment or perhaps biased against those who would testify, I went the other route. And I got TOSSED.

I was dead seriously honest about my eagerness to be a juror and my amazingly unbiased decision making skills. However, I wasn't offended at their decision.

Fact of the matter: Neither the Defense nor the Prosecution wants a TRUE NEUTRAL juror. If there's a side to sway, it's easier to either play on a shortcoming or to force an indecisive juror into overcompensating. But to take someone who has no feelings about either side, and to fight to get them to your side, is much more work than someone who has their mind made up, or who seems to be able to have prejudices and can put them aside.

It makes sense. I believe the legal system would be more 'just' if it was composed of an army of completely unbiased and impartial jury of peers. But that doesn't help people who need jurors to sympathize with their side when substance is lacking. I wanted hard evidence, but perhaps the case was to be determined on eye-witnesses and testimony. Convincing a fact-driven juror to "sympathize" with a testimony is shooting oneself in the foot.

So yeah. I left. I was happy to be gone, but a little disappointed I couldn't participate in our nations machinations of justice.

I went downstairs, turned in my badge, and left for the day.

They'll find me again next year.

And I'll have the same answer for them.