Archive: Opinions

EditorialSince we use a PO box for our real mail, we don't look in the mailbox on the street more than once or twice a week -- if we think of it.  Most of the time it has a pile of 'Shoppers' and amazing offers from the auto insurance company with the lizard, or credit card offers.  I've considered replacing our house number with 'recycling bin' to save emptying it into another bin.  But last week, buried in the soggy newsprint was a summons for jury duty.

I went through all the emotions you have when you get an official summons.  My first reaction was, 'Oh this would be interesting to do if only it weren't next week.  I'm so busy then!'  But then I thought that this is my civic duty, and not so much to pay for the privilege of living in my own house in a great community.  If it wasn't going to be convenient 'next week,' when exactly would it be convenient?  So, no excuses, I was ready to serve.

The first time I was summoned five or six years ago I was not chosen for a county jury.  Then a few months ago I was summoned for Town court, but the trial was canceled.  This time was also for Town court.  Now Town court is a lot less of a burden than County court in terms of the length of trials, and the Town generally conducts them in the evening so most people can still go to work.  All in all it's a sweet way to be a part of the wheels of justice and serve your community.

But I do have obligations, and the summons wasn't clear on when in the day this trial would be taking place.  So I called the court office and spoke to a friendly court clerk who told me the trial would be in the evening starting at 5pm, Tuesday and Wednesday and possibly Thursday.  She explained what the time commitment would be if I was chosen, and also if I was not.  That wasn't so bad -- it would have been harder if the trial were to take place during the day.  I rearranged what needed to be rearranged.  I was ready for justice!

I got to the Town Hall just before the allotted time, and got in line to turn in my information sheet, which I had filled out beforehand.  Most people did, so that part went fairly quickly and painlessly.  Lansing has two judges, and this trial fell to Judge John Howell.  He was friendly, yet matter-of fact, explaining what was about to happen in lay language.  As the clerk called out the names of the first twelve people I felt like a contestant on a reality show waiting to see if I would be kept in the competition.

The twelve potential jurors came from all walks of life, including a plumber, a Cornell student, a professor, and the CEO of a major local bank.  It was interesting to listen to their responses to questions.  One potential juror knew the defendant, and another knew the defense attorney.  Some were victims of crimes.  This case apparently had to do with road rage, so there was some discussion about that.

My favorite moment was when the jurors were asked if they had ever been on Route 34B, one of the roads where the crime was alleged to have taken place.  This cracked me up, because the Town Hall is on Route 34B, so everyone in the building had to have been on it only an hour before!  But outwardly I kept a straight face, because nobody else was laughing.

I wasn't in the first twelve, but Judge Howell told the rest of us to pay attention, as some of the twelve would surely be eliminated and we might be asked to step up.  He asked questions of potential jurors to see if they would have any problem following the law and determining the defendant's guilt or innocence based on the evidence alone, not colored by jurors' past experiences.  The Assistant District Attorney assigned to the case asked a lot of questions, and the defense attorney got her chance as well.  Then the judge, attorneys, and court clerk went into the small adjoining court room to deliberate.  I thought all juries have 12 jurors, so I figured I still had a chance.

When they came back, Judge Howell excused five of the twelve, explaining that the remaining jurors were a jury of six with one alternate, and that the rest of us were free to go.  The selection process, called 'Voir dire,' took about an hour and a half, so most of the 40 or so people got to go home by 6:30.  

For now I'm three for three - called three times, but not chosen for a jury.  In a way it feels like being the last one chosen to be on a dodge ball team.  Part of me felt some relief that I would have more time to finish this week's newspaper, but mostly I was disappointed that I wouldn't get to experience an important facet of our justice system.  Sure, it would have been inconvenient, but in the grand scheme of things it would be helping our community and giving me a chance to see a trial from a unique point of view.

And besides, if the bank CEO can make the time to serve -- he was selected as the alternate --, I figure I can.

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