Jury Duty

[MeanDean]

I was notified I was a potential jurist twice. You were assigned a potential juror number and when you called in they said whether you had to show up or not. First time I had a high number so didn't have to show.

Second time I did have to show up. I was a potential deep alternate on one jury selection. One of the other potential jurors was a very very well known local radio personality (still is 20 years later). They asked him if he was the "John Doe" from the radio team "Doe and Jones." When he affirmed he was he got the boot immediately.

Of course next day their show was all about the jury process.

They got enough jurors and alternates before they got to me, so I actually have never served on a jury.

 

[TitanClone]

I got selected for a car accident case 4 or 5 years ago. Was interesting seeing how trials actually work, but boring as hell overall. This particular case took us 5 minutes to not award anything to the plaintiff after a 2 day trial. Hope to never do it again unless it's an OJ like case.

Edit: This is in KCMO, Jackson County

 

[cyclone13]

Was a juror and saw images I wish I’d never seen.

When I was called couple of years ago, a gentleman in our pool mentioned that his friend was called in Jury 3 weeks after the turned 18. The case was murder involving children. The gentleman said his friend kept on saying "imagine, 3 weeks after turning 18 and you had to see some horrific pictures involving kids" and that experience scarred him the rest of his life.

 

[ScottyP]

Interesting because I think that this varies. My colleague who was on a jury (not in Iowa) said that their lunches came from a very well liked family restaurant near the courthouse that was mid-priced. Certainly not fast food.

During deliberations, my lunch was a turkey sandwich and chips. Nothing fancy.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

My first and only time being summoned I was picked for a jury. He livestreamed his crime on Facebook live. He represented himself and called no witnesses or anything. It took longer to explain the deliberation process than actually deliberating. Pretty cut and dry.

 

[JayV]

I'm weird - I was fascinated by jury duty. I loved the chess match of the lawyers. I loved to see how the judge conducted the courtroom.

I totally agree. The lawyers, the judge, the who experience was fascinating and a great learning opportunity. We all learn about the legal system and how it's supposed to work in school. To see it first hand is why I call being a juror one of the best things I've done.

But it's exhausting. And most of us have to juggle a job along side it.

 

[JP4CY]

When they do the interviews, just say something really controversial (or even somewhat controversial).

"I hope I make the jury pool and the courthouse caters Hickory Park because they have the best BBQ on the planet."

 

[JM4CY]

"I hope I make the jury pool and the courthouse caters Hickory Park because they have the best BBQ on the planet."

"Thanks for letting me be a part of the jury process. I wonder if Fred Hoiberg has ever been on a jury?"

 

[JayV]

Regarding the food and meal aspect, when I was a juror, we had a "handler" who escorted us everywhere. For meals we walked about a block from the courthouse to a pretty decent restaurant. When we went in the staff immediately recognized the handler and said, "Hey, we got a jury!" The took us to a special jury room were we were isolated from other restaurant patrons and were able to order from the menu and ate together as a jury.

So apparently, if you're doing jury duty at a place that has somewhat frequent jury trials, there may be businesses that make good money accommodating the needs of a jury. In my case at least there wasn't ordering out for mediocre or poor food.

 

[JP4CY]

Regarding the food and meal aspect, when I was a juror, we had a "handler" who escorted us everywhere. For meals we walked about a block from the courthouse to a pretty decent restaurant. When we went in the staff immediately recognized the handler and said, "Hey, we got a jury!" The took us to a special jury room were we were isolated from other restaurant patrons and were able to order from the menu and ate together as a jury.

So apparently, if you're doing jury duty at a place that has somewhat frequent jury trials, there may be businesses that make good money accommodating the needs of a jury. In my case at least there wasn't ordering out for mediocre or poor food.

 

[JayV]

I'm sure there is a legal reason why, but I feel this would be important information to know.

Whatever previous crimes the accused may or may not have committed don't impact whether he or she is guilty of the crime they are on trial for this time.

The past behavior or history of prior infractions more likely impacts the sentencing. A person with a long history of misbehavior is less likely to get probation, or deferred sentence, but it shouldn't change the guilt or non-guilt of a separate incident.

 

[AgronAlum]

Is it weird that I’ve been of age for a couple decades now and have never been selected? This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of people being selected over short periods of time.

 

[wxman1]

I was called once while in college but Linn county let me off for that and I think another time when we lived in Kansas but didn't have to go. My wife got called down there too but got off since she was going to be 30 some weeks pregnant at the time.

 

[drlove]

I recently was placed on a jury. what was interesting about it is that at the beginning, they ask everyone about their background including what do you do for a living. after that the attorneys narrowed in and asked more questions about the case or your ability to serve. I wasn't asked any questions after the first background questions, and I got chosen.

The trial was declared a mis-trial and the judge came in to talk to us and answer any questions. I asked "why was I chosen? all they knew about me was that name, marital status, occupation, and that I like to golf". she asked if I was an engineer, I said no, I'm in IT, and she said there you go. The judge said "People in IT or engineers are considered great jurors for both sides."

 

[Mr Janny]

A few years ago, my brother had a weekday off of work, and he went to the store in the town where he lives. When he came out, a sheriff stopped him and asked if he lived in the area. When he said yes, the officer told him that he needed to report to the courthouse immediately for jury duty. They had a case starting that day, and not enough of the people who'd been summoned showed up. When he got there, there were a bunch of people who had been recruited in a similar manner as he had and a few of them were absolutely furious about it. The judge was having none of it, though. He said that this was a power that was afforded to him when not enough people responded to the jury summons. And if they were going to be angry, be angry at the people in their community for shirking their responsibilities. He ended up getting picked for the jury, the defendant ended up changing their plea to guilty before the trial started so he didn't have to do anything.

 

[drlove]

A few years ago, my brother had a weekday off of work, and he went to the store in the town where he lives. When he came out, a sheriff stopped him and asked if he lived in the area. When he said yes, the officer told him that he needed to report to the courthouse immediately for jury duty. They had a case starting that day, and not enough of the people who'd been summoned showed up. When he got there, there were a bunch of people who had been recruited in a similar manner as he had and a few of them were absolutely furious about it. The judge was having none of it, though. He said that this was a power that was afforded to him when not enough people responded to the jury summons. And if they were going to be angry, be angry at the people in their community for shirking their responsibilities. He ended up getting picked for the jury, the defendant ended up changing their plea to guilty before the trial started so he didn't have to do anything.

Having been on 2 juries and nearly on a 3rd, i don't object to the idea of jury duty, but what you just described would make crazy.

 

[JayV]

People in IT or engineers are considered great jurors for both sides.

I had always been told the opposite because engineers and people trained in problem solving are more likely to think for themselves, look at the available information, and make a decision. As opposed to thinking based on what the authority figures say to believe.

During the selection process the defense attorney said, "It says you're a civil engineer?"
I replied that was correct.
He asked, "Do you believe that DNA evidence can be wrong?"
I said, "I think the science is pretty sound, but I believe there can be human error involved."

That was the extent of it. I wasn't dismissed.
I don't know if the defense attorney thought civil engineers deal with, or have any knowledge of DNA, but that's what I was asked.

 

[drlove]

I had always been told the opposite because engineers and people trained in problem solving are more likely to think for themselves, look at the available information, and make a decision. As opposed to thinking based on what the authority figures say to believe.

During the selection process the defense attorney said, "It says you're a civil engineer?"
I replied that was correct.
He asked, "Do you believe that DNA evidence can be wrong?"
I said, "I think the science is pretty sound, but I believe there can be human error involved."

That was the extent of it. I wasn't dismissed.
I don't know if the defense attorney thought civil engineers deal with, or have any knowledge of DNA, but that's what I was asked.

so you didn't get dismissed?

 

[VeloClone]

Is it weird that I’ve been of age for a couple decades now and have never been selected? This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of people being selected over short periods of time.

In some jurisdictions it might matter if you are registered to vote. However, Mrs. Velo has been a registered voter for over 30 years and she have never been called to serve. I have only once in my over 35 years of being a registered voter.

 

[Steve]

I was part of a jury for a bizarre federal case. On the surface, it was a simple convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The subplots could have been chapters in a hard to believe conspiracy novel.
The defendant refused to acknowledge the court because he was a sovereign person and not a citizen of any country. The constitution was bogus etc. He claimed diplomatic status because he was an ambassador for an obscure Indian nation that owned some land in the Canadian Rockies.

He raised wolf hybrids in rural Tennessee and pulled an illegal gun on neighbors who shot some of the wolves that attacked them. He was arrested, released, and failed to appear for arrangement.
He attempted to flee the country by piloting a private plane. Law enforcement were on his tail and tracked him to a small town in rural Nebraska. A local, state, and federal task force planned an early morning raid, but their coordinates took them to an empty field. They realized that they had their directions wrong and eventually found their way to a local rural airport where they found the guy who had bunked in the airport office for the night.

They took the guy to the local jail where they proceeded to tap his phone calls. Most were to his wife and another lady who claimed to be the Universal Supreme Court Justice. They sent letters demanding his release in the name of the Indian nation.

When that didn't work, they schemed to break him out of jail, kidnap the sheriff, and the local judge from back in Tennessee. They planned to take the kidnap victims to the nation to stand trial for violating the rights of a sovereign person.

Some how they gained the cooperation of the airport manager who also happened to be the county weed inspector. He gave them the sheriff's address as part of his involvement. Their downfall is that the guys the wife contacted to carry out the plan turned out to be undercover FBI.

The feds almost blew the case. They never stopped to realize how the guy managed to get to the airport. It took two months before the weed inspector/airport guy came clean about conversations he was still having with the two women involved. It finally came out that the guy's plane had been sitting in a hanger at the airport the entire time.

When the FBI finally got a search warrant, they found an AR-15, multiple cases of ammo, and a pile of 3 wolf moon blankets. The gun matched one that was traced back to the defendant. He denied ownership of everything but the blankets. He said that he purchased all that he could find at a local K-mart to present as gifts to the Indian nation.

The Indian nation denied any connections with the conspiracy gang. He was convicted and has since also lost an appeal. He tried to represent himself and was always shifting through an 18 inch tall stack of papers that he always carried in with him. The judge insisted on appointing an attorney for him so that he didn't have an easy path to appeal a conviction. He spent most of the trial yelling at his attorney to object to testimony and to do his damm job.