Jury duty is a requirement not sought after - like some witnesses

[ksoze]

It is a random pool of citizens who must serve when called. Both sides than pick through a process centuries old, not the juror. Most want to serve and move on. Much like reluctant witness Rachel Gentil, they did not ask to be called nor want to put up with the pressure, commitment and post trial effects.

Are some trashing Jurors in this case as though they fought to be in the spotlight?

[ceonupe]

1. How many African Americans that live in Sanford

That are under let's say 40 who can afford to be without income for 1+ months?

What u get paid for jury duty in most places is right at or less than min wage.

Even then if you did take jury duty who's to say your boss gives you all your hours back when you return?

[dsc]

3. they usually don't take income into account

unless the jury is going to last a really long time, which this wasn't. Several blacks were removed from the jury, as to why the prosecution didn't speak up about that, I have no idea.

[Lurks Often]

5. Actually I think they do take income into account

if you tell the court that being on jury duty would constitute a financial hardship, you usually get excused. No one should be forced to do jury duty and miss one or more paychecks.

I will also say that many employers will continue to pay the employee's salary while they are on jury duty.

[dsc]

6. not in my neck of the woods

unless it is very long term.

[Lurks Often]

8. While jury is a serious duty

a person shouldn't be forced to lose a paycheck and risk missing a payment that could wreck their credit or cause them to miss a house or car payment

[dsc]

12. I tend to agree with that

but the courts here tend not to agree with that. I think all employers should be required to continue to pay jurors or submit proof that it would be a hardship for them to do so. In the hardship case, the taxpayers should pay.

[Just Saying]

7. I don't know about that.

I know several people who tried to get out because they are self-employed and it's a huge hit on them financially and the court said no. Most people don't seem to want to serve and believe they can't miss some work. I think most jurors only serve about a week unless you're grand jury.

Some states require that employers pay their employees. Serving jury duty is important and the court takes it very seriously. Lower courts may be easier to get out of, but when you get to common pleas or the like they don't want to let you out unless you have a very good reason.

[Lurks Often]

10. I agree jury duty is serious, but

a person shouldn't be forced to lose a paycheck and risk missing a payment that could wreck their credit or cause them to miss a house or car payment

[Just Saying]

13. Again its usually about a week

And I believe most courts will let you postpone for a time. If its that big of a concern they can schedule vacation time I guess.

I mean you agree it's serious but? When I served there were hundreds of people called for duty and by 3 days in, they brought in another huge group to the pool. That's how busy our courts are and it's part of our duty as citizens to serve.

It's usually a very short period of your life and where I live they can't call you again for 2 years. It's just not that big of a hardship.

[Lurks Often]

21. The people most likely to be impacted are probably the ones

that don't get vacation time.

Our courts are busy, but at least part of the reason for the large groups is how many people find a way to avoid jury duty or are dismissed for some reason

[Just Saying]

22. That's my point

Jury duty isn't fun but it is a duty so why work so hard to avoid it?

My husband and I are both self-employed but don't work together. He works outside the house, long hours while I work at home and take care of our kids. When I was called, I had to make arrangements for our children which for us meant either paying for care or he had to find a way to be home. When I don't work, I don't make any money. The court paid me $10 a day and it cost $8 to park anywhere near the courthouse. My point is that I lost money while serving, but I still did it. It didn't kill us financially and we got by. It would have been harder if the trial i ended up on went on longer, but we would have figured it out. I'm sure it could truly be a burden for some especially single and the poor, but I feel like most that complain about it do just fine financially but just don't want to be bothered with serving.

Oh and the people I was with already hadn't got out of it. You have to report and wait to be called from the very large group of the jury pool. I believe we were being called by around 30 different judges. This is in a large county common pleas court which handles criminal and big dollar civil, although when I was called I believe they said they were focusing on criminal because the court was so backed up. You can be dismissed from a case, but you have to go back in the pool and wait. They told us to plan to be there 5 days. This court gives you very little opportunity to back out. You have to submit a request, in writing, and they have strict criteria to get a pass. I'm sure courts are different depending on the type and state.

[Orrex]

9. I was unemployeed, actively seeking work, and fighting foreclosure

But that wasn't considered sufficient grounds to excuse me from service.

I actually posted about it on DU2 at the time, asking for advice.

[Lurks Often]

11. Guess I'm wrong

but you should not have been made to serve jury duty.

[ceonupe]

15. what i am saying is

people take their income into account when deciding to show up for jury duty or not. Many lower income and mid income working people simply cant afford to be jurors. the reality is if you are barley making it already how can you voluntarily take of a month for a trial. who pays the bills? Do you get an IOU on state letterhead for your land lord. short of being established or having another income in the house i dont see people being able to serve.this is a real issue

another funny thing is I know not a single black person who has gotten in trouble for not showing up for jury pool/duty. But several white friends who have been (angry letter or demand appearance even)

[dsc]

16. I can't speak to a racial disparity in response

but I have to say skipping jury duty would never occur to me. I would be very fearful of getting arrested.

[Wait Wut]

2. Not sought after, agreed...

...but once called the potential juror has options. One is being brutally honest about your beliefs. If you think you may have racist tendencies ('person of color' is a red flag, imo) you should say so. Would someone with racist/bigoted tendencies state those traits? Probably not. Some may even go to extremes to hide those traits in order to 'do some good' (take that as you will...protect the non 'person of color' or convict the 'person of color').

Jurors, once seated, do not magically grow halos. They're human beings just like the rest of us. They can still lie, stretch the truth, obfuscate, etc. There have been random jurors in the past that have absolutely relished the spotlight. Others, quite the opposite.

If you sign a book deal within days of a verdict, I'd say you're the type to grab onto the brightest spotlight available.

I'm not the type to 'trash' anyone, but I will always question a person's motives. As far as the rest of the jurors, I couldn't give you an opinion. I do know that when they were first chosen and I read the bios I said out loud "WTF?".

[gvstn]

4. If you go back and listen to the Voir Dire

You will hear several prospective jurors that answered questions in a very pointed way to make themselves available to sit for this case. They purposefully downplayed their knowledge of the case etc. It was quite evident that they wanted to serve on this particular case for whatever reason.

[RebelOne]

14. Definitely not sought after.

I have been called for jury duty 4 times -- twice in Florida and twice here in Georgia. In Florida, I was picked to serve on a jury, but I was lucky in that the defendant plea-bargained. Then another time, I sat around in the jury room for 2 days and finally was let go because the jury was picked. Then here in Georgia, I sat around for a day in the jury room before the jury was picked. Then the last time was a couple of years ago and I discovered I would not have to appear if I was over 70 years old, which I am. That is the only time I was happy I am old.

[dsc]

17. sucks if you are an old defendent or victim though

no jury of your peers.

[Ohio Joe]

18. How do you account for the book deal?

What was that about a spotlight?

[ksoze]

19. What she does after the case is her prerogative

Fact is, she was culled randomly from all the residents and then weeded down from there. The fact she or any of the others agree to a book after this trial is not shocking, no matter what they voted.

[Ohio Joe]

20. Yeah....

Get a book deal before the trial is over but not seeking the spotlight... Yeah, that's the ticket... People will buy that