Posted on 04/30/2009 9:54:52 AM PDT by DFG
There are probably better ways to avoid jury duty than the approach recently taken by a Montana man. After Erik Slye, 36, received a jury notice earlier this year, he filed a notarized affidavit seeking to be excused from serving on a District Court panel in Gallatin County. Slye's caustic affidavit, which he prepared with help from his wife Jennifer, can be found below.
(Excerpt) Read more at thesmokinggun.com ...
Which would prove this man's point that the justice system is "crap."
Hamilton County, Indiana to me as a juror last year and I am registered. Maybe it is just you area
I think this guy’s an idiot, and has an idiot for a wife/lawyer. The judge would have been well within his rights to fine and possiblly jail the guy for contempt for using language like that.
The last time I went in for jury duty, the defendant was accused of murdering his drug dealer in a deal gone bad. The defense attorney asked, row by row, “If someone is found guilty of murder, would you be unable to consider probation?” The first row, not a hand went up. The second row, not a hand went up except mine. Instantly. The sheep were all looking around, and suddenly people in both rows said, “Oh, I couldn’t consider it!” and raised theirs.
I was, as you might imagine, cut. If it was self-defense or an accident that would somehow warrant probation, I would not be ruling to convict! If someone is guilty of murder, then no. There is a price to pay beyond talking to your probation officer every month.
There was a flaming gay guy in the pool who made it completely obvious he was trying to be cut. He kept repeating, “My conception of God as a spiritual deity will not allow me to sit in judgment of my fellow man. My conception of God as a spiritual deity will not allow me to sit in judgment of my fellow man.” He then stood up and said, “I’m going to the bathroom now.” The judge said, “Sir, we will have a break in ten minutes. I need you to wait, because if you leave, I have to dismiss everybody.” “Well, do what you have to, but I’m going to the bathroom!” He didn’t return from the break.
The next time I got a jury notice, there was an article in the paper featuring quotes from several judges saying, “80% of those summoned don’t even bother to show up. There’s no penalty. We don’t have the manpower to enforce it. We’re thinking of giving out free coffee and having a free internet cafe to encourage people to show up.” I’m thinking that article was a good way to get closer to 90%.
I do, and found it interesting, and have described the experience on here in the past. Some of it was quite funny.
We had a case in Superior Court involving a street thug drug dealer. The County goes to extremes to make sure the jurors come from as far away as possible, so many had very long travels and were quite angry. The thug tried giving the jury Attitude Looks to intimidate them.
Very carefully, a little blued-haired old lady who doubtless resented the long bus ride caught his eye and very discretely drew her finger across her throat.
He decided to plead Guilty and we all went home that day.
But as in the OJ case, the Defense struggles in the selection process to make certain idiots and trash are on the jury. I think it's called "Peremtory Challenge".
Exactly. I would love to serve on a jury, but I would have to lie during voir dire, even if only by omission, in order to get seated.
Luckily, I have only been called for jury duty once. In spite of being a witness for the state in an attempted murder trial and being asked about it three times ... I had to wait all day for the judge to dismiss me.
It was a case involving two young thugs fighting with the police - apparently.(they were very hush-hush about details of the case) Their lawyer asked a very interesting old guy if he could find her clients innocent if she proved it beyond any reasonable doubt. He pointed at the two thugs slouching in their chairs, laughing and smiling, and answered “No. They wouldn’t be sitting there if they were totally innocent!”
He was dismissed instantly. The two thugs snapped to attention and everyone had a good laugh. It wasn’t worth ten bucks though.
I agree with you brother...I just got kick off a murder trial jury after they spent 30 minutes questioning me on how I determine facts...(I do R&D Failure Analysis on military systems)
They didn’t want someone who would objectively determine truth...they wanted someone who would accept subjective opinion as fact.
I went into this event thinking to myself “I’m going to do this to the letter and spirit of the law” I did...and I got kicked the hell out!
Yes, I realize the defense played hardball and eliminated as many people with functioning brains as they could. The prosecutors didn’t do us any favors either. This case was really screwed up.
BTW, your granny story was great. Love it.
If the crook had any brains, he could have told the court what he saw, and the juror would have been removed. The signal of a predetermined verdict, would be cause for removal IMO. It could also be cause for court action if the judge were vindictive. The juror promised to keep an open mind and make a determination based on the evidence.
I like what she did, so don’t think this is a slam at her. It showed spunk and the guy got just what he deserved for the implied threat transmitted through his glare.
LOL
I’m tough on criminals, but I think I could weigh the evidence and give a fair verdict.
Would you vote to convict someone of violating an unConsitutional law? Why do you need a Founder to tell you that Congress and the President can easily overstep their authority and that you may be the only one to prevent an injustice because of it?
Defense attorneys don’t want people who can weigh the evidence; they want people swayed by emotion. I have a background as an engineer in addition to being an FFL, so no jury duty for me.
They shouldn't have to look very hard, 70 million voted for Zero.
Of course they don’t want engineers. They want people who watch daytime TV.
I’d like to be on a jury. If charged, I’d like someone intelligent, informed, freedom-loving and inquisitive on my jury. Only serves right to return the favor, if preemptively.
Funny thing is, whenever I’ve been called it has been immediately after moving out of the county in question.
You too? I like to get a book by Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Rush or any other conseravtive writer. So far, that has me batting 100% for getting the boot after the first round.
So you don’t believe in the jury system!
So you don’t believe in the jury system!
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