I'm on city criminal court jury duty this week. All week. Check out this ..

[DemoTex]

I spent seven hours at the courthouse today. I was seated on a jury of six for a criminal case. The charge against the defendant: ILLEGAL LANE CHANGE! In SC that is a violation of the criminal code.

(We found for the prosecution .. guilty .. in about 5 minutes. Only reason I can figure the defendant went to trial with such a weak case is that he has so many priors or so many points he faces license revocation and/or a little time in the slammer. But we, the jury, were not privy to that.)

[tblue]

1. It at least used to be illegal here in CA, but the courts stopped prosecuting because it's such a

fricking WASTE OF TIME!!! And resources, I might add. Poor you. That's "Criminal" court???

[DemoTex]

3. City of Greenville (SC) Criminal Court

But, on the upside, the judge reminds me of Rachael Madow!

[tblue]

4. Then she must be brilliant and beautiful.

[DemoTex]

12. "Reminds" and "is the spittin' image of" are two different things in the South.

Maddow is brilliant and beautiful. This judge is smart and cute and talks a little like Rachael.

[NMDemDist2]

2. the defendant was probably hoping the cop wouldn't show up n/t

[DemoTex]

6. Two cops + witnesses involved in accident (1 excellent witness, BTW!).

The defendant changed lanes and caused an accident and drove away. One witness, a cabinet-maker involved in the accident the defendant caused (although the accident was not part of the charge), was excellent. The defense attorney tried to taint this man's impeccable testimony, pissing off the jury. The defense atty. asked the judge to impeach the witness's testimony and the witness gasped under his breath on the stand "impeach?". I heard it and I knew he was smart as a whip and telling the truth.

[uncle ray]

5. was there any evidence?

other than a cops word that someone made an illegal lane change?

[DemoTex]

8. Witnesses' statements .. written and verbal.

Plus, the defendant lost the jury when he said in answer to a DA question that he did not see any traffic on that section of I-395N/B that he was merging into from Woodruff Road. The jury and some in the courtroom fought laughter. That is a much-hated merge ramp in these parts.

[uncle ray]

10. ok, just checking.

since there was an accident the case is more clear.

[2KS2KHonda]

7. Watch out for jury summons on federal cases. The bigwigs at the FAA are

tasking ATC controllers to report up the chain of command ANY minor infraction by pilots...like missing a fix on clearance readback...that sort of thing. I had a link but misplaced it...will look fer it
:grr:

edit: here
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ControllersAsAirspacePolice_198538-1.html

Not that I'm worried, I never make a mistake. :scared:

[DemoTex]

9. They would never seat me (or you) on a federal jury hearing such a case.

We know too much. Seriously. We are experts.

[2KS2KHonda]

11. Which is a big component of what's wrong with our "justice" system, nu?

:crazy:

:hi:
edit: you always -know-! How the hell do you do that? :rofl:

[DemoTex]

13. I know 36/95 when I see 36/95!

BTW: Where's that star? Bwaa haa haa haa!

:rofl:

[2KS2KHonda]

14. Drat! Foiled again.

I plead sublimation. The dew point got insanely low here the other night.
;-)