Grand Jury Duty

[The AD]

It actually sounds very interesting.

I'm all about civic mindedness. I'm up to my ears in civic mindedness. I already volunteer hundreds of hours a year. This will take from that and likely mess up my job in which I'm the only person in the role.

I can give up a week sure. But I can't give up a years worth of half days every other week or whatever.

I'm sure if that's the case then you wouldn't get past the voir dire phase. They're not going to want jury members who are there more or less under duress.

[XXX-er]

I got called for jury duty so i sent a letter telling them i had a hut tripped booked and they said fine you have other commitments

[old goat]

I was on one panel for a long case (regular jury, not grand jury) where the judge said people could get off if they had vacation plans but not if they claimed they were the only one at their work who could do their job. I told the judge I was the only one who could do my job and got off.

[RootSkier]

The fries ain't gonna fry themselves.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I thought murder charges usually = grand jury, no? Especially in death penalty states or federal crimes that may have death penalty sentences? Isn't there something in the Constitution about that?
Anyway, any time I've been called for jury duty, it's been cancelled. 1,000 batting average on that. It's annoying, but most cases end in plea bargains or settlements.

[old goat]

I thought murder charges usually = grand jury, no? Especially in death penalty states or federal crimes that may have death penalty sentences? Isn't there something in the Constitution about that?
Anyway, any time I've been called for jury duty, it's been cancelled. 1,000 batting average on that. It's annoying, but most cases end in plea bargains or settlements.

from wikipedia : The federal government is required to use grand juries for all felonies, though not misdemeanors, by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. While all states in the U.S. currently have provisions for grand juries,[3] only half of the states actually employ them[4] and twenty-two require their use, to varying extents.[5] The modern trend is to use an adversarial preliminary hearing before a trial court judge, rather than grand jury, in the screening role of determining whether there is evidence establishing probable cause that a defendant committed a serious felony before that defendant is required to go to trial and risk a conviction on those charges.

[RootSkier]

I thought murder charges usually = grand jury, no?

No.

[fastfred]

getting out of jury duty is easy
get super baked before heading in
count ceiling tiles, seats, people wearing jackets, people not wearing jackets, just look all around the room and count things anything
when you are asked questions never make eye contact stare at the wall or a light fixture
they will assume you are on the spectrum and your out the door pretty fast

[old goat]

getting out of jury duty is easy
get super baked before heading in
count ceiling tiles, seats, people wearing jackets, people not wearing jackets, just look all around the room and count things anything
when you are asked questions never make eye contact stare at the wall or a light fixture
they will assume you are on the spectrum and your out the door pretty fast

It's way easier than that. DUI case--"My brother got pulled over for DUI and the cop faked the test." I watched about 10 people get kicked for variations on the theme. Lotta drunks and relatives of drunks on jury panels. Drug case "All drugs should be legal." (That one worked for me personally.) When asked if you know any of the potential witnesses. "I know him and he's a liar." (Another one I used personally, and it was true.) I'm sure you know the old saying--remember that when you're on trial you're being judged by 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty.

[riser4]

It's way easier than that. DUI case--"My brother got pulled over for DUI and the cop faked the test." I watched about 10 people get kicked for variations on the theme. Lotta drunks and relatives of drunks on jury panels. Drug case "All drugs should be legal." (That one worked for me personally.) When asked if you know any of the potential witnesses. "I know him and he's a liar." (Another one I used personally, and it was true.) I'm sure you know the old saying--remember that when you're on trial you're being judged by 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty.

It's probably: three who are willing to do their Civic duty, three who don't give a fuck either way, and six who couldn't figure out how to get out of it.

[Flounder]

I thought for sure I'd get out of jury duty when I disclosed that I knew the ADA for when she tried to prosecute my 15 years earlier. Simple misdemeanor excessive speeding. I was wrong, ended up on 2 trials. One stabbing that we decided was self defence and one hit and run DUI where we found him guilty. It was an interesting experience and I'd do it again, civic duty and all that.

[The AD]

I'm sure you know the old saying--remember that when you're on trial you're being judged by 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty.

Which is a saying I've always hated. Many people are there because they believe it's their civic duty.

[stuckathuntermtn]

from wikipedia : The federal government is required to use grand juries for all felonies, though not misdemeanors, by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. While all states in the U.S. currently have provisions for grand juries,[3] only half of the states actually employ them[4] and twenty-two require their use, to varying extents.[5] The modern trend is to use an adversarial preliminary hearing before a trial court judge, rather than grand jury, in the screening role of determining whether there is evidence establishing probable cause that a defendant committed a serious felony before that defendant is required to go to trial and risk a conviction on those charges.

No.

How about that.

It's way easier than that. DUI case--"My brother got pulled over for DUI and the cop faked the test." I watched about 10 people get kicked for variations on the theme. Lotta drunks and relatives of drunks on jury panels. Drug case "All drugs should be legal." (That one worked for me personally.) When asked if you know any of the potential witnesses. "I know him and he's a liar." (Another one I used personally, and it was true.) I'm sure you know the old saying--remember that when you're on trial you're being judged by 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty.

Oof.

I'd probably be into it if it was more than people suing each other for dumb shit or your basic felony DUI. A murder trial can be really interesting.

[BmillsSkier]

Probably not that interesting for the murdered.

[Ted Striker]

re: getting out of jury duty

I've been summoned for jury duty four times over the last eight years. The results were that I was on a jury once, "on call" which basically meant call the automated system every morning, and answer my phone if it rings during the day (it didn't), one reschedule due to work commitment, and one oops I didn't get the letter (nothing came of it).

I only went for selection once, and was on a jury for a day and a half. On that occasion, even though 200 summonses were mailed out, only 30 people showed, and they needed 13.

Here is a selection of questions and responses:

Anyone here have any connection to the legal system?

"I'm a border guard"

See ya! Thanks for showing up. (thing is, that guy actually wanted to be picked)

Another potential juror, "I'm a lawyer"

What type of law?

"Immigration"

(they ask her a followup question that I can't recall, which she answered with a series of non sequiturs)

Alright, have a nice life (she really wanted to get on the jury as well)

Here was another guy's connection to the legal system:
"I've appeared before this judge before, and have an issue before him currently. Additionally, I have a previous conviction, but my rights have been restored"

No problem, you're on the jury.

Da fuck? Actually, I was glad he made it because he was entertaining in the jury room.

Next question: Who here really wants to be on a jury?

...civic duty, scales of justice, something in Klingon, 12-sided die, unintelligible muttering...

You're excused.

Who thinks this is a waste of time, and really doesn't want to do this?

A few hands go up.

You're also excused.

It was literally that easy.

[old goat]

Which is a saying I've always hated. Many people are there because they believe it's their civic duty.

And they either don't work or their work is paying them.

I've never lied to get off a jury. The truth does it.

[The AD]

And they either don't work or their work is paying them.

This is true. My work pays me for jury duty, so it's not an undo hardship usually.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Probably not that interesting for the murdered.

Well, maybe at first.

[bagtagley]

A federal judge did the selection here. He wasn’t swayed by much and was unimpressed by shenanigans from the couple of people with the balls to try. 100% of the shenaniganizers were selected, FWIW.

[TBS]

Like several have stated, jury duty can be a PIA but can also be entertaining

Ive been on four juries over the years. Last time I was selected for a felony robbery charge. Defendant was already a two time loser, and DA wanted him convicted on three strikes statute. Case summary follows:
-Defendant and friend are drinking at home
-They decide they need to fix D’s mom’s car, but need Allen wrenches
-They go to big box store to acquire Allen wrenches but lack funds
-So they decide to pilfer said wrenches
-D and friend are accosted at door by store security
-D’s friend tries karate to escape - falls and splits his head open
-D turns to run but his low rider pants fall off his hips, and he falls face first at the feet of an off-duty cop entering the store

We decided in about 10 minutes that failing to steal $8 in merch was not a felony.
As jury foreman, I took it on myself to add on the back of the jury vote form
“We find defendant guilty of felony incompetence in the commission of a misdemeanor”.

Judge reads it and starts laughing.

Jury has to walk by D on way out. He’s thanking us for voting to acquit.
When he thanked me I replied “don’t thank me, you are still a fucking moron”

[old goat]

I was on a panel for a guy who was busted for having MJ in prison--it was clearly a 3rd strike case, before California reversed its draconian 3rd strike law but the guy was looking at life. I don't know what he did the first two times but getting life for weed seemed wrong to me. I got kicked off that panel, kinda wished I hadn't.

[summit]

Excused from duty.

It was going to be 16 months of service up to one 4 hour shift every other week, no fixed or predictable days. Wow. Who can make that work in their life?

[Ted Striker]

Retired people.

[MiddleOfNight]

you're being judged by 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty.

I hope that's not true.
(but you could argue stupid people are my peers)