Post by Toxic-Avenger on May 13, 2002 10:49:21 GMT -5
Law and Order, L.A. Law, Ally McBeal, and anything by John Grisham, forget it. <br>
A quick aquaintence with the American Justice System.
It starts about two months or so before the trial. You get a letter in the mail from the County Courthouse. I wondered what I did, blow a stop sign or cause an accident? You open the letter and there's a heading in big red letters, "SUMMONS FOR JURY SELECTION." Cool! You answer a questionaire on the back and send it in. The Juror Badge is stuck to the 'fridge so I don't lose it.
The time comes to report for selection. You sit in a big room that quickly fills up with people and the jury officers tell you what to expect. Soon, my number along with 20 or so others are called up and we wait in line for what seems like half an hour. The two Court Officers lead us to the court room. Not what I expected. <br>
We sit on benches like pews in a church. We see the Defense Attorney, Procecuting Attorney, the Judge, and the Defendant. I'm the first one called up by my Juror number. Yikes. So I sit in chair #1, then the next Juror is called up and so on until 13 jurors are seated. Next, we are given quick interviews and asked questions. Since the case invovlves a shooting, some of the questions are somewhat personal. Are you prejudiced? Are you self-employed ==> if you are losing money by being here? Can you concentrate on the proceedings? Do you know any police officers? Questions like that.
One guy's wife was severely beaten so he excused himself. Another guy admitted he was prejudiced so he was excused by the Prosecuting Attorney. The judge asks if there are any challenges to the jurors. The Prosecuting Attorney = PA stands and says, "Yes your Honor. Juror #456, I ask that he be excused. The Defense Attorney stands and asks the same. "Your Honor, I ask that Juror #895 be excused.
The excused jurors are sent back to the jury pool and wait to be called up again. They have be here all day or come back the next day. After all the jurors needed for the trial are picked, the trial begins. In the U.S. the right to a speedy trial is certainly true with this one!
A quick aquaintence with the American Justice System.
It starts about two months or so before the trial. You get a letter in the mail from the County Courthouse. I wondered what I did, blow a stop sign or cause an accident? You open the letter and there's a heading in big red letters, "SUMMONS FOR JURY SELECTION." Cool! You answer a questionaire on the back and send it in. The Juror Badge is stuck to the 'fridge so I don't lose it.
The time comes to report for selection. You sit in a big room that quickly fills up with people and the jury officers tell you what to expect. Soon, my number along with 20 or so others are called up and we wait in line for what seems like half an hour. The two Court Officers lead us to the court room. Not what I expected. <br>
We sit on benches like pews in a church. We see the Defense Attorney, Procecuting Attorney, the Judge, and the Defendant. I'm the first one called up by my Juror number. Yikes. So I sit in chair #1, then the next Juror is called up and so on until 13 jurors are seated. Next, we are given quick interviews and asked questions. Since the case invovlves a shooting, some of the questions are somewhat personal. Are you prejudiced? Are you self-employed ==> if you are losing money by being here? Can you concentrate on the proceedings? Do you know any police officers? Questions like that.
One guy's wife was severely beaten so he excused himself. Another guy admitted he was prejudiced so he was excused by the Prosecuting Attorney. The judge asks if there are any challenges to the jurors. The Prosecuting Attorney = PA stands and says, "Yes your Honor. Juror #456, I ask that he be excused. The Defense Attorney stands and asks the same. "Your Honor, I ask that Juror #895 be excused.
The excused jurors are sent back to the jury pool and wait to be called up again. They have be here all day or come back the next day. After all the jurors needed for the trial are picked, the trial begins. In the U.S. the right to a speedy trial is certainly true with this one!