Prospective Juror

[pameladean]

Oh, boy. I'm now a prospective juror on a trial concerning what sounds like a nasty situation. So far we have all filled out questionnaires, and will be grilled in person tomorrow.

The questionnaire was deeply unnerving. I don't myself feel that "answering honestly" really sorts with Yes or No, even if you can Explain in three lines or even use more paper if you want. I feel that my answers were not consistent and that they'll think I was lying. But I wasn't. I have many mixed feelings and many contradictory opinions.

They ask what TV shows you watch and what your favorite characters are.

They ask if you want to be a juror on this trial. I said that I didn't, well aware that they may be screening just as much for people who want to for creepy reasons.

I would complain for several screens except that, well, whatever ills I think being on this jury may bring, they hardly compare with either being a victim of this crime or with being falsely accused of it.

P.

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Remember Alice's Restaurant, when Arlo goes into his "kill" routine? "I wanna eat dead burnt bodies..." you probably know the rest.

It doesn't take much to get you 'excused for cause'.

As for the TV preferences? That's easy. If you watch court shows like Law and Order (and you are fairly suggestible) they might not want you. If you watch shows like CSI - they might not want you.

Lawyers - defending or opposing - want people who can be easily led, not necessarily independent thinkers.

Good luck.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Fiction certainly gives me the impression the lawyers always both want sheep on the jury. I'd think much of the time one of the lawyers would want smart people who could cut through the obfuscation provided by the other lawyer to see the clear truth of this lawyer's arguments; but maybe any case that actually goes to trial is a case balanced on the knife-edige, and neither attorney can feel confident.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Well, as I said, someone who is easily led is always best. No hung juries that way.

I'm a little jaded, I guess, since I work in a law school (and seriously wonder about the state of our judicial system).

[pameladean]

My mother was once on a jury from whose larger panel had been removed everybody with a college degree. She found that pretty spooky. So maybe my M.A. will get me off. I'm afraid I have to stick to the truth -- so limiting.

Thanks for the good wish.

P.

[readinggeek451]

It seems to vary: the one time I had jury duty they kept the two people with advanced degrees and removed all the people who *hadn't* been to college.