rejected

(for Paw Paw, my attorney grandfather who thinks everyone should have to serve on a jury at least once)

Last week, I was almost on a jury. Even though I "don't even look old enough to be called for jury duty" (as the lady sitting next to me told me), and even though I look like I'm "about fourteen years old" (as the lady sitting next to me told me), I was called for jury duty and I actually did have to go. In my 24 years, this was my second time to be called for jury duty. My grandmother, who is . . . older than me, hasn't been called once. Go figure. Last summer I was called for federal jury duty. I went on the first day, stayed a couple hours and watched a video, and then we were all told we could go home. This year I was called for county jury duty, and it was a little more exciting.

Of course I was called on the very first case last Tuesday morning (the courts were closed Monday because it was a holiday), so about 50 other potential jurors and I went across the street to criminal court and waited outside our assigned courtroom. After a couple hours of waiting, lunch, and another hour of waiting, we were finally called into the courtroom to start the jury selection process. The judge welcomed us, told us about the case, and introduced us to the two defendants (charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault) and the attorneys (four altogether). Twenty jurors were called to move to the jury seats and be questioned. I was so relieved each time the judge called a name and it wasn't mine! Watching everyone else go through it was scary enough. The jurors were questioned by the judge, the prosecuting attorney, and then by each defendant's attorney. After the questioning was done, the judge "took challenges", meaning the attorneys could request that certain jurors be dismissed. The judge told us that they couldn't dismiss a juror based on his age, race, or gender, but they could dismiss one because they (the defendants) felt like the juror was staring at them, because he sat there with his arms crossed looking mad the whole time, etc. So, basically, they can pretty much make up a reason to dismiss anyone.

Several jurors were dismissed after the first round of questioning, and I was one of the lucky eight called during the second round. The very Mom-ish lady sitting next to me in the courtroom gave me a supportive/sympathetic pat on the back as I got up to walk to the jury seats. I was pretty nervous at first, especially with two potential criminals staring at me (hey, Judge, can you dismiss them for looking at me too much?). However, as the questioning went on, I started getting a little excited. I felt like I was on a big field trip. I was really hoping I would stay on the jury as least until our next recess, because during recesses, the almost-jurors got to go back to the jury room and turn on light when they were ready to come out. Then the attorneys would stand up for them when they walked back into the room, and court would be called into session.

I gave really good answers to all my questions . . . I'm a nurse . . . I'm single . . . I have no kids . . . no, I hadn't heard of the case before and didn't know any of the defendants, victims, or attorneys . . . my car was broken into once when I was in high school (when asked if I'd ever been the victim of any kind of crime) , but that experience would not affect the way I judged this case . . . I would judge this case based only on the evidence presented and could be totally impartial (unlike a couple of old lady jurors, who, during one recess, told me that they knew "that one probably did something" because he "just looks mean") . . . and, no, I didn't know any of the other nurses on the jury. I tried my best not to stare at any one person too long, and I only crossed my arms for a little bit because I was freezing! But, alas, it was not enough. After all the questions were asked, when the judge asked for challenges, I was the second person to go. The judge told me I could leave the courtroom and deputy at the door would tell me what to do next. I did leave, but I wanted to plead my case and say, "What?! I would be a really good juror! I don't judge people. I tell the truth. I make good decisions most of the time. I really don't have any hard feelings toward all people who steal things, even though my car was broken into once. I didn't stare at anyone, and the only reason I ever crossed my arms is because it is so cold in here!" But instead I just left the courtroom quietly and was delighted to find out that I didn't have to go back across the street to wait to be seated on another jury - I'm done for the next ten years!

I guess I'm glad I didn't have to spend all week driving downtown each morning to try to decide the fates of two strangers, but could I at least have stayed long enough to see which jurors got to stay? So I'll know what to say differently next time?

I mean, really, was one trip to the jury room too much to ask?