Jury duty and security measures...

[PALADIN85020]

Well, yesterday I went down to appear for a jury duty summons at the Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix.

Holy ****, things have gotten as bad or worse than the TSA at airports.

First, you get in a line to divest yourself of all things metal. Fine. I put my glasses, my pen, my watch, my belt with belt buckle, loose change, keys, etc. in a tub that was destined for an x-ray. I was nice enough to have left my 442 and my Benchmade folder in the trunk of my car. I was made to feel nekked; what an indignity for a free citizen of a country where the Second Amendment still is part of our Constitution.

After standing in line in front of the big U-shaped magnetometer, I finally got to go through with no "buzz." Others had, and were passed right on through. Clean, right?

WRONG.

The security guard on the other side of magnetometer must have singled me out for my steely gaze and the devil-may care attitude that I must have expressed by daring to look at his slack-jawed face.

This obviously laid-off portly former TSA employee now working for minimum wage brought out his magic wand, and first asked me if I had removed my belt. Duh. You're looking at my beltless pants, dude, nearly falling off of me now.

I answered "Yes." He had me turn around (twice), waving his magic twanger all over me. I was carrying a book to read (The Sojourn) an absorbing novel about a WWI soldier's experiences, which must have measured about 1/2 inch in thickness. He took that from me and flipped through just about all the pages. I don't think they make guns that thin, but I guess one can't be too careful.

Then he told me to lift my pants legs - I wasn't sure if he wanted me to flaunt my superior male endowment or what, but I complied, hopping on first one leg and then the other.

I don't know why I was singled out, but I think this cretin was possibly power mad after they gave him some authority. I am one of the estimated three percent of citizens who actually show up for jury duty, and I don't think there was any call to single me out for what I believe was harassment. I had obviously complied with all the hoopla and had passed through the magnetometer before he started in on me.

Do you think it was the "I'm the NRA" patch on my padded shooting shirt? And after all that, I didn't even get picked to serve on a jury!

John

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

Hmmm m I think I might need to get a S&W t-shirt to wear next time I'm called to jury duty.

On second thought, this is Texas...I'd better not!

 

[feralmerril]

I used to work security at lockheed. One of my buddy guards was the nervous type. We had to check all workers tools entering one secret area where we did have some sabatoge, thats why we were there. He picked up a piece of pipe or hollow tool of some type, squinted through it, then turned it around and peeked through the opposite end! Hey! I`m portly, but did that job 35 years with no complaints that I can remember on me!

 

[M29since14]

Do you think it was the "I'm the NRA" patch on my padded shooting shirt? And after all that, I didn't even get picked to serve on a jury!
John

I once met a fellow who does a lot of lawyering in federal district court. In the course of conversation, he asked me if I had ever been called to appear for jury duty. I said yes, I had. He asked if I was selected, empaneled, or whatever you call it. I told him I was not. He asked a few more questions about the interview, thought for a minute, and then he said, "What were you wearing?" I told him a light blue summer suit, white shirt, and tie. He said, "Good choice. That probably got you off."

 

[grunti39]

I've been summoned many times in the various places we have lived. I have always showed up to do my civic duty. I have been summoned once again for criminal court in July and I will show up. I have NEVER been selected for a jury of any kind with one exception. They ran out of potential jurors and I was the only one left. The defendant changed his plea to guilty as soon as he saw the jury. We didn't even hear an opening statement. Trial lawyers don't like me and that is a good thing!

 

[Texas Star]

I do hate how jurors are now treated. Before 9-11-01, we could carry pocketknives with blades up to four inches. Now, even a tiny Victorinox Classic is verboten. I think they also raised Cain about metal ballpoint pens.

I posted about a year ago about meeting a cute radio DJ who invited me to have lunch with her at Hooter's after we were dismissed. That was the sole reason that day wasn't a total loss.

I have been chosen to sit on one jury, and even then, we had an instructed verdict. The judge ordered us to find an accused felon unable to stand trial due to mental issues.

If the judge was going to instruct the verdict, why waste our time?!

I used to endure jury duty as a civic responsibility,but the way I've been treated the last couple of times, I really resent being summoned.

 

[M29since14]

I understand why people neither like or trust our judicial system, but I have not figured out an answer. Well, I have, but drinking scotch in court is frowned upon

I don't like scotch but, if you have to go there for any reason, drinking something pretty sturdy ought to be allowed.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I went to do some work at the local justice center a while back. Something wrong with their safe. Never been in the place, and yes same as or worse than TSA.

I walked through the front doors and a sheriffs deputy was waiting for me on the other side of the security check point.

I wasn't packing cause I knew better. But when I tried to get my tool back through, the checker guy just stared at me.

He says "got any weapons in there?" I pulled out a screw driver and said "I guess this could ruin you day".

The deputy waved me through and all was good.

 

[COL Jagdog]

Enjoyed Paladin's post -- just a few thoughts. Jury duty is a necessity in a free society-- courthouse security is very important as unfortunately there are miscreants who will try to shoot ex-spouses,
judges, lawyers or anyone else in the courtroom -- this has happened too often in courtrooms in America (as well as in Europe, Russia, Iraq, Afghanistan) -- so security of court personnel and the public is a valid issue.

Recently, I was called for jury duty in my parish, only 82 of us answered the jury subpoenas out of 150 called -- the judge issued about 60 bench warrants and was not amused at the excuses given by those that were brought in. Most judges and jurisdictions do try to make the experience palatable for the general public.

Dressing very well or bizarrely will make an impression -- depending on whether it is a civil or criminal jury, it may help you or hurt you, regarding on whether you get selected or excused -- your answers to the voir dire questions make the most difference.

Had a lady friend (wife of a local doctor) call and ask me what to do -she was called for a capital murder case (lock-up jury) -- she did not want to serve. I reminded her of her duty to serve, but told her if she was placed in the jury box, to loudly proclaim that she was for the death penalty, no matter what (which she was). She was not placed in the box for that case. What I forgot to tell her is that we have 11 divisions of court (civil/criminal) and that if one division runs low on jurors, it can "borrow" jurors from another section. She got bumped to a civil jury venire (accident case) and was placed in the jury box. First question the plaintiff's counsel asked her, (her address and occupation), she loudly proclaimed that she was for "the death penalty" -- poor lawyer wasn't quite sure what he had just gotten in his venire (he would probably have excused her for being a doctor's wife/conservative) -- he excused her post-haste with no more questions. She called me the next day and thanked me and said that my advice "really worked".

In Louisiana, if you run low on jurors in a parish, you can summon "tales jurors" -- this involves sending deputies into the community (venues like Wal-Mart or Starbucks) with "instanter" subpoenas (instant subpoenas) -- they tap you on the shoulder and say "your it" (i.e. a newly summoned juror) and pile you into a squad car or sheriff van and whisk you to the courthouse for jury duty. Imagine having that happen on your day off!! Enjoy!

 

[Wyo]

Come to my courthouse. We have NO security in the building or in the courtroom (except, of course, what I provide myself).

 

[rburg]

In Louisiana, if you run low on jurors in a parish, you can summon "tales jurors" -- this involves sending deputies into the community (venues like Wal-Mart or Starbucks) with "instanter" subpoenas (instant subpoenas) -- they tap you on the shoulder and say "your it" (i.e. a newly summoned juror) and pile you into a squad car or sheriff van and whisk you to the courthouse for jury duty. Imagine having that happen on your day off!! Enjoy!

My former gun show partner was a county coroner. He had to impanel coroner juries from time to time. Sending out summons was a waste of time and money. So they went the conscription route. They'd just pull 6 (I think) poor souls off the street. They were armed and had badges, no use resisting. He used the method even though he thought it was a perversion of justice. They all wanted to go home or about their business. They always saw things his way. If only to be released in a reasonable length of time.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Years ago we had an old circuit judge who would read his morning paper and smoke a cigar while on the bench. He would start the day drinking coffee and if the case lasted long enough he would switch to something in a Dixie cup later in the afternoon. I was present in his court one day when it looked like the DA and the defense attorney were going to run out of prospective jurors. The old judge told them if they ran out he was going to have the sheriff go out on the courthouse lawn and bring in a few of the "spit and whittlers" to complete the jury. They managed to select a jury before this happened.

A few years later with a different judge and DA they were going through the usual "raise your hand" questions when it was asked if anyone in the jury pool was kin to anyone else involved in the case. A young blue eyed attractive black lady replied that the DA was her cousin. The DA was white and even though the defense attorney wanted to keep her as a juror the DA struck her off the list. The case ended in a hung jury and I wondered if she would have made a difference.

 

[armadillo]

40 years ago I worked in a city that had a special traffic unit that everyone hated. Things got real bad when they started writing tickets to some on-duty patrolmen in marked cars.

There were so many requests for jury trials on those tickets that there was a couple of years backlog. One day a city judge said OK let's do it right now and picked 6 patrolmen sitting in the courtroom - that day all the special unit cases got not-guilty verdicts.

 

[Frank46]

Having served on jury duty Queens county NYC just getting into the court house was kind of interesting. You had to put all your stuff into the plastic tray, go through the metal detector and then get wanded. One guy did not put his smokes in the tray. Police officer asked for his smokes. Guy said they were for a friend and you can guess where this is going. Yep, good old mary jane. They arrested him on the spot. The only thing I really didn't like is that they polled the jury by name. Course there were plenty of court officers there as he had been found guilty of breaking and entering and theft of goods. That made feel somewhat uncomfortable. Frank

 

[oldafsp]

An old friend managed to evade jury duty for many years.

Of course, in all fairness I don't think he was a suitable choice because he
was very closed minded and a bigot. Other than that, he was a pretty decent law abiding fellow.

Each time he was interviewed, he had surly answers for the defendants attorney. This happened with one particular attorney several times.

The attorney finally asked him why he was so hostile towards him. His answer: " I hate lawyers."

Never served a day on a jury. Maybe a good thing.

 

[krautski]

I was picked for jury duty just after PC was rearing its ugly head. The case involved an American Indian and his lawyer was questioning me. He asked if I felt any predudice about Native Americans. I said "No, I am one". He was suprised and asked if I was truly a Native American. I said, "Yes, I was born in this Country." I was dismissed by this lawyer.

 

[jlrhiner]

I am 54, been registered to vote since 18, and have never been summoned for a jury. I think it would be neat.

 

[feralmerril]

I have been called numerous times but never sat on a case. I think its far out of hand. I wouldnt mind sitting on a case but I highly resent sitting on my butt many days and hours for no reason. In fact, I hate the system that allows lawyers to keep culling out people untill they finaly get a mindless spaced out jury to their likeing. I especialy hate seeing very highly advertised cases and potential juriors asked if they seen news on it. If they say no, now we have a idiot that admits he doesnt watch news and if thats so, he probley is only into situation comideys , dancing with the stars etc. A real bright canidate!
I like the one where a guy was up for horse stealing. Judge asked him if he wanted a jury trial or just let the judge hear the case. Guy asked him what a jury was. Judge said people just like yourself. Guy said I will take my chances with you, yer honner. Ya dont think I would want ta be judged by a bunch of hoss thieves, do ya?

 

[ACP230]

I have been called once but did not get picked for the jury.
Did not even get interviewed.

I stuck around to see some of the trial. It was boring, really boring.
Even the public defender trying to trip up a cop was just annoying
not dramatic. I was glad I didn't get chosen.

Filled out another jury duty form earlier this year. No call.
A friend was called and sat on a trial. We have few jury trials
here so I might be safe for this term.

 

[walnutred]

I've been summoned to jury duty once in my life. Looking at the online court docket before I reported I found two cases listed as a jury trial. One was a charge of mishandling a firearm in a motor vehicle. The other was 84 counts of statutory rape. Wanna guess which one I wanted? Wanna guess which one I got?

So first day we all draw lots and I'm juror #23 out of a pool of 30, they only need 12 and a spare so I'm home free right? Nope, after the selection process I'm juror #12. After two weeks of trial I begin to think everyone except the Bailiff had been not telling the whole truth. After 8 hours of deliberation and a verdict I'm still not 100% sure what the verdict SHOULD have been. I strongly suspect that the most influential evident was suppressed for one reason or another.

The jury was an interesting mix and probably not a bad representation for the area. There was a retired teacher, a couple retired nurses, two farmers, a college student, a housewife whose life experiences was limited but seemed to have a lot of common sense and one person who I'm not sure had a 3 digit IQ. The only really uncomfortable point was when the Bailiff came into the jury room and tried to break up the ice block in the beverage cooler with his hand. He said "I wish I had something to break this up with" and without thinking I handed him my pocket knife. He took it, shook his head and when he handed it back told me to lock it in my car on the next jury break. The metal detectors were down that week and I had forgot all about the knife until he asked for it.