Jury Duty Experience
Jury Duty 101
I found it a strange place for me to be at first but i soon overcame any prejudice on my part.
I was about to learn the system from the inside-out, not as i did earlier in my youth... from the outside-in. This was going to be interesting to say the least.
I once had the rare opportunity to give my point of view as i stood before an old judge. When he asked what i thought about the system? Well... knowing me, I couldn't resist but to tell him and you know i did!
Oh, what did i say to him? Simply, in a few words: THE SYSTEM DOES NOT W-O-R-K !
His reaction? Pretty red-faced as he replied; Young man are you going to stand here in front me and tell me that the people on a jury are wrong ? I couldn't answer that and he knew it. I really thought for a minute there he was going to fall over backwards! I was only there for a traffic citation! Its not my fault! He shouldn't have asked if i wanted to say anything! geeez!
<>Well, true to my word and as time passed, the day arrived when i was now to serve, to do my civic duty and earn big money in the process, all $5.00 of it (per day!) WOW!
I had no problem, at least "I" wasn't paying!
I served in total so far 5 times going on 6. In those 5 cases, each were completely different and each had many obsticles and flaws. Our job was to overcome them and come to a final agreement if possible. That was a real challenge because everyone always has prejudice to put aside to be a fair juror. It seems not everyone can do this and so begins the breakdown of a "fair" trial.
I have on occassion mentioned (as we all give our first thoughts and comments) that we need to be objective and look only at the facts presented before us... no more - no less! Easier said than done!
It made little difference to the ignorant set in their own narrow mentality! That really stressed everyone else out, but then that was part of the process, to weight out the facts and results coming to a final conclusion one way or another. WE dead-locked many a time! Now if i were to ever see that old judge again - which i doubt (unless i dig him up!) I would tell him the same all over again! Its not an easy thing to do, judging someone BUT when you only have SOME "basic facts" and short on REAL PROOF it makes it difficult...or easy.
I usually do it the scientific way, I flip a two headed coin! (just kidding!)
One of my last couple cases involved a wife who cut her husbands b---s off with a big sharp pair of scissors...home018 (1k image)But we dead-locked. A year later i saw the case on the news again and for the 2nd time it was a "hung" jury (ironic). No, it wasn't "that" case but close... ouch!! The latest news was that the wondering husband now stays close to home. (so did my dog too)
The very last case hit closer to home-(boys), as we had no trouble putting these guys away for a very long time, after terrorizing and robbing poor hard working people in their own neighborhood. They did what they did and we (I) did that I did or as it comes down from the Ol' School...You Play-You Pay.
Everyone has their own opinion, but as i learned, if you haven't been there on both sides you just will never know that feeling of justice served or the injustice!
My personal belief is if i do wrong i better be prepared first to do time. My mindset isn't there to even think that way and regardless of "anyones" potiential we just know better...yeah right! How does it go? With every action - There is reaction!
And so i reiterate...The System Does Not Work...PERIOD! (but... its all we got!)
I found it a strange place for me to be at first but i soon overcame any prejudice on my part.
I was about to learn the system from the inside-out, not as i did earlier in my youth... from the outside-in. This was going to be interesting to say the least.
I once had the rare opportunity to give my point of view as i stood before an old judge. When he asked what i thought about the system? Well... knowing me, I couldn't resist but to tell him and you know i did!
Oh, what did i say to him? Simply, in a few words: THE SYSTEM DOES NOT W-O-R-K !
His reaction? Pretty red-faced as he replied; Young man are you going to stand here in front me and tell me that the people on a jury are wrong ? I couldn't answer that and he knew it. I really thought for a minute there he was going to fall over backwards! I was only there for a traffic citation! Its not my fault! He shouldn't have asked if i wanted to say anything! geeez!
<>Well, true to my word and as time passed, the day arrived when i was now to serve, to do my civic duty and earn big money in the process, all $5.00 of it (per day!) WOW!
I had no problem, at least "I" wasn't paying!
I served in total so far 5 times going on 6. In those 5 cases, each were completely different and each had many obsticles and flaws. Our job was to overcome them and come to a final agreement if possible. That was a real challenge because everyone always has prejudice to put aside to be a fair juror. It seems not everyone can do this and so begins the breakdown of a "fair" trial.
I have on occassion mentioned (as we all give our first thoughts and comments) that we need to be objective and look only at the facts presented before us... no more - no less! Easier said than done!
It made little difference to the ignorant set in their own narrow mentality! That really stressed everyone else out, but then that was part of the process, to weight out the facts and results coming to a final conclusion one way or another. WE dead-locked many a time! Now if i were to ever see that old judge again - which i doubt (unless i dig him up!) I would tell him the same all over again! Its not an easy thing to do, judging someone BUT when you only have SOME "basic facts" and short on REAL PROOF it makes it difficult...or easy.
I usually do it the scientific way, I flip a two headed coin! (just kidding!)
One of my last couple cases involved a wife who cut her husbands b---s off with a big sharp pair of scissors...home018 (1k image)But we dead-locked. A year later i saw the case on the news again and for the 2nd time it was a "hung" jury (ironic). No, it wasn't "that" case but close... ouch!! The latest news was that the wondering husband now stays close to home. (so did my dog too)
The very last case hit closer to home-(boys), as we had no trouble putting these guys away for a very long time, after terrorizing and robbing poor hard working people in their own neighborhood. They did what they did and we (I) did that I did or as it comes down from the Ol' School...You Play-You Pay.
Everyone has their own opinion, but as i learned, if you haven't been there on both sides you just will never know that feeling of justice served or the injustice!
My personal belief is if i do wrong i better be prepared first to do time. My mindset isn't there to even think that way and regardless of "anyones" potiential we just know better...yeah right! How does it go? With every action - There is reaction!
And so i reiterate...The System Does Not Work...PERIOD! (but... its all we got!)
posted by R.J. LA FARGO | 11:19 PM
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