Last week, my roommate called me at work to tell me the bad news: I'd been selected for jury duty for the next day. I had to show up at the courthouse at 8:45 a.m.
So I arrived, eyes still crusted with sleep, desperately needing caffeine and praying I wouldn't get picked for the trial that began that day. Yes, it was my civic duty, but I didn't want to commit more than a few hours -or at most a day -to that duty. As it turned out, I spent two full days as a juror in a case about the alleged assault of a police officer.
My fellow jurors had assorted backgrounds: special education teacher, retiree, professor, legal secretary and so on. But we all shared a responsibility those two days. In the hours we spent in the courtroom and on break, we developed a sense of camaraderie.
One juror was teased for his squeaky chair, which creaked at the least opportune moments during testimony.
And juror No. 10 was knitting a pair of socks, which she diligently drew out of her bag each break to pass the time.
One of my older compatriots teased me for snoring during a nap on break. Even though he interrupted my nap, I held no grudges. He was just lightening the mood in a trial full of serious allegations.
We couldn't talk about the trial during breaks, so we filled time with trivial conversation. It was humid outside; there was flooding in other parts of the county; boy, we needed that coffee. We passed the time politely, knowing we shared a strange bond because we were all giving up part of our lives for the good of the state.
During deliberation, a rough four hours, we bickered, as is needed in a serious trial. There is a solemn air in a jury deliberation. Everyone knows he or she is deciding someone else's fate, and that is a heavy responsibility to consider. On top of that, we were all tired, hot and ready to go home for the weekend. But it was civil, polite and measured discussion.
The second day ended in a mistrial. We never reached the unanimous decision necessary to convict someone in a criminal trial. Another jury might have to look at the same case we saw, but that's up to the state.
Despite the conclusion of the trial, no one thought of anyone else angrily or with superiority. We were just different people, who had come to different conclusions.
As a registered voter, jury duty is just another way I am participating in my democracy. It might have been frustrating, tiring and time-consuming, but I feel a sense of accomplishment for having served my time. And as a student, you might find jury duty pays off -I got a whopping $30 a day for my work, which is a lot more than what I get paid for working at The Post.
When you receive the call or the letter, don't be mad. It's an inconvenience for everyone, but that little sliver of the legal system I learned about was an invaluable experience.
-To share your courtroom experiences with Suzanne, send her an e-mail at suzanne.wilder@ohiou.edu.
17 Archives
Suzanne Wilder
