Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Your Honor, We Find the Defendant Hilarious

I got called for jury duty tomorrow. I am juror #40 and they called 281 jurors.

Here's to hoping I get something good and I actually get on a jury. Working against me is that I am currently reading Ed McBain's Cop Hater, so we'll have to see how that goes over.

The closest I've come to sitting on a jury was in Baltimore, where the defendant was accused of stealing a cop's gun from her and beating her with it. I was dying to be on the jury. I actually made it to the jury box and through several rounds of striking before the defendant's attorney called my number. That this particular incident was used on the show Homicide for a major story arc only disappointments me even more.

4 comments:

CPS said...

So why did you get kicked off? Details/hypotheses please.

dave3544 said...

Because I was white and male.

Simon and Burns (the guys behind Homicide and The Wire laid it out in the book Homicide...defense attorneys want a jury composed of elderly black women, so that they identify the defendant with their sons/grandsons. In Baltimore, there is no limit on juror strikes, so the defense attorney can pretty much keep striking until they get a jury of elderly black women. I was surprised I lasted as long as I did.

lex dexter said...

cop hater is not the best 87th precinct novel, but believe me, you will be glad you started the series at the beginning. what a fantastic journey you're in for.

oh, and have fun in court. - p

Anonymous said...

Dude - I got called for August 7th! Could it be the same trial but different day?

I wonder what crazy Eugene crimes are heading to trial....