I saw this leaf yesterday morning and wondered what it was telling me.
Day 5 of jury selection and I knew: I was released from this dreadful trial and wouldn't have to spend any more days looking at the back side of skull tattoos or the sleeping attorney. Four accused of extortion and homicide. Four defense attorneys, one d.a. About 80 prospective jurors for all five days of jury selection and started with more than 100. Very unusual to have such a big jury pool but they knew people were going to resist this case.
Early on I'd expressed my general revulsion for skull tattoos, but Jon was sure they'd keep me on the jury for who knows what reason. The trial is expected to run three weeks at least.
Then yesterday the goofball sleepy attorney mentioned that the crime happened in Canoga Park and zingo I remembered reading about the crime and OOH got to go in the back corridor and talk to the judge and all the attorneys about what I remembered. And I was in Colorado at the time but I remembered right, yes sir. (checked the facts today after I was released.)
The judge who sits up so high on his throne in the court room and was quite personable turned out to be a teenser fellow in person.
Today I dressed in the weirdest combo I could put together and horrified Jon as I walked out the door, but it wasn't the clothes that got me excused, I was already on the big list. YAY HOORAY! Everyone who got excused looked incredibly happy while waiting for their get out of jail passes.
Actually I think a criminal trial like this could be really interesting, but the obvious local gang angle scared me.
11 comments:
Ha!
Good for you for getting yourself out of Jury Duty. Waiting around is like detention for adults. And like you said, who wants to be on a jury that might incur the wrath of the neighborhood gang?
I have a theory about what the leaf had to say: "I'm new! Turn me over!" (har de har)
Detention for adults, funny. Wasn't that leaf face amazing for being so random?
The scary defendants looked over each of us every day when we entered. We were told they were not going to testify. I was skeered.
That leaf face is rather startling. Crack Monster's deciduous cousin, no doubt.
Maybe he's hoping to be discovered by an animator who will turn him into a symbol....
I can't STAND how cool that is, that you got a SIGN! (And not some oh, you've really got to stretch for THIS one sign,but a SIGN sign.
I can hardly watch violence in a movie; I'm afraid I'd have a hard time shaking some preconceptions to execute my objective job well.
Did your knowing the story disqualify you? I mean, was it that simple? You'd think they'd have asked the very first day. Hm. The mysterious workings of the legal system.
I hope hope hope they let me go in the first half hour please oh please! (Start early, begging your way out of it, that's what I always say. And yet, I really believe it's important to participate in the jury system. Imagine THAT. Ha.)
I love the leaf!
I did jury duty once and the bailiff gave such a rousing speech before the selection began that I was geared up and ready to serve. I would think twice, however, if the gang element was involved. That has to be more than scary.
Namowal, it definitely had a crack monster look.
Boodababy, the lawyer who revealed where the crime took place didn't think it would ring any bells. He was a bumblefutz, when he and the other four lawyers were standing before the judge he was tucking his shirt in his pants on back side and we were all choking back laughs.
I think my comment early about tattoos put me on a do not pick list, and then when I'd read about the crime that finished it.
I found the whole experience really interesting.
I am a fellow juror on the same case your were on because I remember your comment and picture and you were lucky it took me another 2 days before I got execused and I have no idea why. I was never asked a question. Out of the orginally number there were only 11 of us left who spent 7 days when they brough in another 75 jurors in and then 5 of the 11 got execused. So basically almost none for the orginal jurors got on.
Judy, That's fascinating. Thanks so much for finding me here and telling me about it. I started wondering whether we could go as observers once the trial is underway.
will there be a courtroom illustrator?
stray, no idea if there'll be an illustrator but sounds as if they'll be lucky to get a jury.
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