Serving on a jury is something I have had the honor and privilege to do in the past, though I never get to do it anymore. Generally when I’m called for jury duty these days, the attorneys immediately move to strike me from the bench. And that’s before they even get to use their preemptive strikes. Then they also throw me out as potential juror too!!
But my executive producer Christa recently wrapped up jury duty — her second stint in as many years. While the first case she was on was a civil one, this time she got selected on a criminal case.
Still, Christa was surprised to be empaneled, though she reports that all 12 jurors were really into it and came from every walk of life. It was a great cross-section of people and they had good discussions in deliberation. The tone in deliberations was very calm and deliberate, according to Christa, which was unlike her prior experience.
This time around, Christa’s case involved two felony counts in a crime of violence. The person who was charged was found guilty on both counts. In Christa’s estimation, that person was a dangerous individual who seemed unaffected by everything in the courtroom. She’s not even sure prison is a great price for that kind of person to rehabilitate.
When most people get summoned for jury duty, they typically moan and groan; nobody wants to go. But the reality is going and serving is a great thing. It’s so much a part of what makes our country wonderful. It’s so great that we have people who take it seriously. That’s what we want in our country, for we the people to call the shots.
