illusionsssss's Blog

I had jury duty on Tuesday, my first time in Dallas.  Well, I was supposed to go in June but told them I would be out of state until August.  Hence, I got a postcard scheduling me for September 2nd (they give you alot of time I see).

So, I informed my job, and did a practice run to the Frank Crowley Courthouse on Monday.  3 turns..not too bad.  Of course I STILL left 45 minutes ahead of schedule, to make sure.  Heaven forbid I get arrested for whatever it is you get arrested for if you don't show up!

I arrived, not knowing what to expect.  I am there at 7:50 AM for my scheduled "8:30 AM" time.  Well, first I walked in the wrong building and then had to try to cross Industrial Boulevard in rush hour. Thankfully I wore red and the people thought I was a traffic light, or the Devil!

I got to the right place, had my paperwork completed, and walked into the central jury room.  I got a seat behind a wall so I would be "sure" to see the movie they showed us....at 9:30 AM. NOT.  Couldn't see a damn thing, but I "listened", yep.  Then we sat there.  And sat there.  And sat there.

FINALLY at around 10:30 AM, someone came out and told us where to go next..such as number 1 to 300 to go to 7th floor, room 12, 301-600 to go to 6th floor room 8, etc.

We get there, and it's more waiting.  They have to go through our "juror cards" and assign us numbers.  30 minutes later, and we are called in the court room.  There are nearly 70 of us.  They need a jury of *12*. (sigh)

I am juror 37.  So..we go in and have to fill out a questionairre.............

"What is the first thing you think of with the word "Police"?

"What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word prosecutor?"  etc.

"Do you consider yourself a Liberal, a conservative, very conservative, very liberal, or something in between?"

Anyway, after that, 5 people were immediately kicked out. We are now down to about 64 people.  Then the prosecutor and the defense get to ask questions of the jurors.............

They ask the first two rows ALOT of questions, as jury rules are that the FIRST 12 people in the jury pool that the two sides and the judge agrees on will be the ones chosen for that trial.  So, the higher your number, the less-likely to be on the jury.

We did get to know what the case was "sort of" about. This case involved a Mexican woman alleged to have had *50 to 2000* (YES, you saw that correctly, 50 to 2 THOUSAND) pounds of pot in her possesion.  The defendent's attorney asked if it made a difference to jurors if she was legal or illegal as to their decision on the case.........(I SO SO SO wanted that question!!)  (In case you wondered, I was planning to say it did not make a difference in this case whether she was illegal or legal as to whether she was guilty or innocent of THIS crime, but she sure as HELL better be arrested for her illegal status as a SEPARATE incident!)

I DID get asked 2 questions by the defense attorney.  He asked me if 50 to 2000 lbs. of pot was found in a teachers room at my school, what else I would "need to know" re: the case. 

I said I would need to know the time frame, and who had access, how it was bagged/packaged, etc.

I forget what the other question was, lol.

At 4:10 PM I was dismissed, along with the other 50+ jurors not picked. 

I can say, I learned alot about the jury process here, how it works, where to go, and what not to say!!!

It was fun, (maybe since I get paid anyway).............

Til next time!!!

~ill