Judges Day

[Jay NotApplicable]

"I went for jury duty once. It was “Judges Day”. A holiday to celebrate the judges. So instead of having regular jury duty, they made us file into a courtroom and listen to a politician speak about how bad George W. Bush is. I’m all for that kind of talk, because I don’t like him. The politician was making his speech and everything was quiet. But I don’t want to be forced to sit through a political speech with the threat of having charges pressed against me for not participating in jury duty. So I took out a can of seltzer water, and cracked it open really loud while the politician was speaking. I could hear the collective gasp from the crowd because they couldn’t believe I would be so rude as to make that noise. The whole courtroom heard it. Then later when they let us out of the room they offered us free food. But the security guard told me I wasn’t allowed to have free food because of what I did." - http://www.jlakoda.com/jury-duty-on-judges-day/

[Derendscools]

" So I took out a can of seltzer water, and cracked it open really loud while the politician was speaking. I could hear the collective gasp from the crowd because they couldn’t believe I would be so rude as to make that noise."

Nice!

[Loony Le Fist]

"I went for jury duty once. It was “Judges Day”. A holiday to celebrate the judges. So instead of having regular jury duty, they made us file into a courtroom and listen to a politician speak about how bad George W. Bush is. I’m all for that kind of talk, because I don’t like him.


Preaching to the choir on this one.



The politician was making his speech and everything was quiet. But I don’t want to be forced to sit through a political speech with the threat of having charges pressed against me for not participating in jury duty. So I took out a can of seltzer water, and cracked it open really loud while the politician was speaking. I could hear the collective gasp from the crowd because they couldn’t believe I would be so rude as to make that noise. The whole courtroom heard it.


I'm surprised they cared so much. I would have definitely laughed.



Then later when they let us out of the room they offered us free food. But the security guard told me I wasn’t allowed to have free food because of what I did." - http://www.jlakoda.com/jury-duty-on-judges-day/

That was a punk move on the part of security. What happened to you sounds like jury tampering. You can't have a politician come in and give some political speech to a jury that they are forced to listen to. Was it relevant to the case? If the defendant got convicted there might have some grounds for a mistrial on that one.

Just an aside, if anyone ever serves on a jury in the US, don't let any of those prosecutors or judges pressure you. You can nullify the decision. So if you don't believe in the law that's being applied (like protestors being brought up on trumped up charges or pot possession or something), you can stick to your guns on a verdict of "not guilty". Even if it's pretty obvious the state is right on the letter of the law. It is your duty to judge not just the letter, but the spirit and validity of the application of the law as well. Hold out--it takes a full jury to convict.

Unfortunately, IIRC in every state except New Hampshire, you can get kicked off the jury if you announce your intent to nullify, so you have to just say not guilty and keep quiet about nullification. If they ask why, you just claim you don't believe there is enough evidence.

[Jay NotApplicable]

There was no trial that day. They just made us stay so we could hear a political speach.

[Loony Le Fist]

There was no trial that day. They just made us stay so we could hear a political speach.

Well here's the thing. If they force an entire jury listen to some political speech that is jury tampering. It doesn't matter if you actually had trial that day. That is messed up.