Jury duty - "I would rather count the wrinkles on my dog's balls"

[Jackeens]

In no uncertain terms, a Montana man tells judge why he won't serve

APRIL 30--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. The document, of course, did not sit well with court officials and led a judge to threaten to jail Slye. But after being summoned to court, Slye apologized for the affidavit and avoided being cited on a criminal failure to appear rap. And he also was excused from serving on a jury.




In case you can't make out the writing: "Apparently you morons didn't understand me the first time. I CANNOT take time off from work. I'm not putting my family's well being at stake to participate in this crap. I don't believe in our "justice" system and I don't want to have a goddamn thing to do with it. Jury duty is a complete waste of time. I would rather count the wrinkles on my dog's balls than sit on a jury. Get it through your thick skulls. Leave me the f--k alone."

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0430091jury1.html

:-)

[mikeytherat]

1. "Slye's caustic affidavit, which he prepared with help from his wife Jennifer..."

It took TWO people to come up with that? TWO?

God help us all.

mikey_the_rat

[Liberal In Texas]

15. He dictated, she wrote. He probably doesn't write and read too well.

Would be my guess. Who would want this asshat on a jury anyway?

[gmoney]

80. Maybe she could be charged with jury tampering...

If you give someone advice on how to avoid jury duty, or urge them to do so (especially if you're an employer) it can be a pretty big deal.

[ThomWV]

2. I would have thrown that asshat in jail had I been the judge

Jury duty is a civic responsibility, no one should ever be exempt except for illness.

[izquierdista]

8. So is providing for your family

There are far, far too many people who are struggling to make ends meet and cannot get time off from their employers. Oh yes, the law says that jury duty is a valid excuse to miss work, but when you can easily be replaced by one from the throng of unemployed, it rings hollow. Now if jury duty paid the same hourly rate as lawyers get, instead of sub-minimum wage plus mileage, you might get a few more takers.

[WeDidIt]

10. Contempt of Court gets you thrown in jail

He could have signed an affadavit explaining the situation and caused no harm

The affadavit, as filed, is contempt of court and is deserving of jail time.

[izquierdista]

13. So much for "freedom of speech"

So much about America's "freedoms" rings hollow.

[MadHound]

22. Sorry, but you don't have the freedom to insult the court, and by extension all of us.

And frankly being a citizen of this country entails some responsibilities, the minimum of which are to vote and to serve on a jury. Preferably you are also active politically, sadly too many people are apathetic.

As far as the hardship of serving on a jury, I'm sorry, but I don't want a jury composed entirely of the leisure class which has the time and money to serve on juries, and our government is wise to require jury service from all citizens for this very reason. You cannot be fired or replaced, and if you are, well gee, you just hit that big lawsuit jackpot in the sky, so it's a win-win for all of us.

Frankly a few weeks of sub normal pay isn't going to adversely effect the vast majority of people, and there are plenty of hardship provisions to excuse those who it will. But this notion that as citizens we don't owe something to this country is one that has sadly become quite prevalent in our country over the past few decades, and this is one more manifestation of it. This guy lives in what is still one of the best countries in the world and rather than giving back to it, he decides to take a dump on it instead. I would have thrown the guy in jail myself if I were the judge.

Sorry, but your bullshit excuses don't fly, and neither does your reference of free speech.

[izquierdista]

37. Hollow, hollow, hollow

If it was "still one of the best countries in the world", it would not engender this type of animosity.

Many Americans don't vote because they are cynical and know that their vote will be caged or otherwise Diebolded. Many Americans don't want to serve on juries because it goes beyond civic duty and becomes an ordeal. And how much should you give back to a country that won't even take care of you when you get sick?

[MadHound]

49. Fine, if you don't like it, then leave

If you don't like our governing system, our justice system, our voting system, you have two choices, either stay and try and fix these problems or leave. If you stay, you do indeed owe this country something in the terms of civic duty, namely to vote and to serve on juries. However it would be much better if you went beyond the bare minimum and actually went out and tried to bring about the change that you wish for.

But simply sitting behind your computer and complaining about the terrible "burden" of jury duty, or whining about the problems in this country isn't going to change a damn thing. So either get up off your ass and do something, become a contributing member of this country, or get the fuck out and take your whining somewhere else. Of course the trouble is, if you're a citizen of another country, they generally have requirements for civic duty, some of which include military service. And you think jury duty is a pain:eyes:

[izquierdista]

63. Didn't take long

For you to turn into a "love it or leave it" reactionary.

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Romulox]

73. Wow. You really are starting to sound like an authoritarian.

"get the fuck out of this country."

Doesn't it just gut you that you don't have the power to dictate what other people think, or where they live? :rofl: :hi:

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Romulox]

83. LOL. Extra points for complaining about others "whining on a message board"...on a message board.

You seem to have a laser like precision in identifying others' fault, but a massive blindspot as to your own. :silly:

[MadHound]

88. Nice sidestep there,

I noticed you didn't answer my question, namely what have you gone out and done lately to change things in this country. Since you gave a non-answer, I'm forced to the conclusion that the answer is "not a damn thing."

[Romulox]

90. I don't answer to you, Ms. Authoritarian. Anyhow, I'm making plans to "get the fuck out

of the country," per your previous command.

"Since you gave a non-answer, I'm forced to the conclusion that the answer is 'not a damn thing.'"

Add basic logic to the list of things that elude you then, I guess. :hi:

[MadHound]

93. Ms? Do you know what they say about ass u me? Apparently not,

Nor do you apparently know how to click on peoples' profiles either, to find out the most basic information, like the person's sex. Either that or you're just being rude, given your agreement with the guy from Montana, it would seem that the latter can't be ruled out.

So you are getting out eh? Good for you, but remember, most anywhere you go the country is going to require you to do your civic duty, and like I said earlier, sometimes that means military service. Good luck, have fun:hi:

[Romulox]

95. The difference between you and I is that I am not interested in your biography.

Add narcissism to the list, I guess. :shrug:

[MadHound]

97. No, the difference is that I've at least got common courtesy,

You on the other hand apparently have none. And since that's the case, I've got better things to do than trade insults with the likes of you. So get your pithy, childish last word in and we can move on from here, I to more productive things, and you, to whatever you do. Peace:hi:

[Romulox]

102. Common courtesy? You are telling people to "get the fuck out of the country"

if they disagree with you. :silly:

[turmeric]

103. Who is this "court" that cannot be insulted: the queen of Sheba and the king of Siam?

And the 'leisure class' may actually be seniors who already have regular checks and no work obligations. I see nothing wrong with them doing it whatsoever!

[NeedleCast]

32. I don't think you understand how Freedom of Speech works...

[WeDidIt]

33. This is not a free speech issue

The issue is, the affadavit could have explained the issue respectufully.

I guarantee you, if that affadavit had been filed in Cook County, IL, the person who signed it would be brought up on contempt charges and would be spending a few nights in teh Cook County jail.

[izquierdista]

41. And why?

All because his speech offended a judge. Freedom of speech exists only in comedy clubs; when talking to police, judges, or Ari Fleischer, you better watch what you say.

[WeDidIt]

46. Freedom of speech does not exist with the courts

If it did, there would be no criminal charges for lying in an affadavit.

It was a SWORN AFFADAVIT. Being disrespectful of the courts in a SWORN AFFADAVIT is a crime.

[Missy Vixen]

54. There's a difference between freedom of speech and deliberate insult

I can pretty much guarantee that unless this guy works for himself, he's not going to have a job when this hits the media. Would anyone here want someone so inherently stupid working for them, especially in this economic climate? Would you want him meeting with your clients?

There's two ways to do things: The adult, mature, professional way (write a short note explaining that one is unable to serve due to it being a hardship on his family,) and the childish, inflammatory, guaranteed-to-offend method the guy probably thought was hilarious.

What an idiot.

MV
-called for jury duty ten times in the past five years

[Romulox]

75. No there's not.

Whether this is protected speech or not does not turn on whether the content of the speech may be characterized as an "insult".

[Johonny]

50. I agree

I moved to LA and now I get Jury duty (in Compton whee) once every two years. This month alone 3 out 12 of us in my department have had it. The last time I was there I was told we had a call from another court house that needed us. This court was 35 miles away which by law we aren't suppose to have serve on because it's outside the 20 mile radius, but by law they can make us serve on anyways (nice there huh). The court was nice enough to tell us at noon that we had to drive 35 miles across LA to get to the new court house at 1:30. So much for lunch. So the court wanted us to serve on a trial 45 miles from my place that required me to travel across downtown LA in rush hour. Many people told to go live in Compton and had no car (that's why they requested the Compton Court house to serve at). A nice 2 hour commute there for me. At least I would get 15 $ a day and millage one way! Millage one way, where is the logic in that? And they wonder why people hate Jury duty. The civic duty isn't a minor inconvenience. It's a constant call for you to travel to the worst areas of the city and then get treated like crap while you are there.

[izquierdista]

64. Hush, hush

Haven't you read the other posts on this thread? We're supposed to shut up and like it.

[TechBear_Seattle]

14. If they bothered to pay people a reasonable salary for duty, fewer people would object

I sat jury duty a few years ago. I chatted with several people who had given up $40 or $50 in take-home wages to be there in exchange for a $15 stipend. Most could not afford this, but knew that the alternative was jail time.

I shudder to think of what jury duty is costing people now, in the current economy.

[BlueJazz]

20. I agree. I knew a single Mom who had to perform Jury Duty and since ....

...the case lasted 8 days she lost about 250 dollars (her pay minus the pittance from Jury Duty).

In these times a lot of people simply can not afford to be out of work for a Week.
The pay for Jury duty should be AT LEAST 60 bucks a day...

[Xithras]

98. Jury duty pay should match WHATEVER your normal pay is. Period.

A maximum cap to avoid bankrupting the occasional summoned tycoon would be OK, but other than that I think the courts should compensate jurors at whatever rate they normally make, so long as documentation can be provided. If no documentation is available, pay should be at whatever the prevailing local minimum wage is.

We have a duty to serve our society by serving on juries. We don't have a duty to go broke doing it.

[BlueJazz]

110. Sounds Good to Me.

...and fair. :)

[JerseygirlCT]

117. I know there were some difficulties with the self-employed, too

and exactly how to judge the pay they claimed to be missing.

But as it stands, it does create a hardship for almost all working people. I know that I'm paid hourly. I work; I get paid.

[depakid]

113. "The pay for Jury duty should be AT LEAST 60 bucks a day..."

But then you'd have to raise taxes (or jury fees).

Imagine the hue and cry....

[JerseygirlCT]

116. Oh absolutely. But I'm pretty sure that the way to approach

being excused for a hardship reason is not to send a screed like the one in the OP.

[JonLP24]

52. Someone who doesn't believe in our "justice" system wouldn't be an ideal fit for a jury

He could've expressed that in jury selection and would be a bias in that regard. It would be honest and more appropriate. But it sure is funny. Thrown in jail would be a waste of justice and would only re-enforce his point of view.

By the way he followed instructions. He filed that thing to get off jury duty and when he was denied he still SHOWED up.

[okieinpain]

82. sorry, I agree with the rethug. hate jury duty!

[BlooInBloo]

86. Nothing like self-proclaimed progressives advocating jailing people for political speech.

EDIT: Changed to get the point across more clearly.

[JerseygirlCT]

115. With daily mandatory lessons in civics. nt

[tanyev]

3. So which teabag party did he attend?

[Inspired]

4. Am I the only one who thought this was funny?

[Lucky Luciano]

11. I kind of foundit amusing...and I know how he feels

I have successfully avoided jury duty do far in my life!

If I ever get called in, I always liked George Carlin's strategy of telling the judge that "I can spot a guilty guy (snap of the fingers) - Just like that!"

[SammyWinstonJack]

40. I thought it was funny.

:spray:

[harun]

55. I thought it was funny.

[liquid diamond]

120. Me too. Flame away. I hate jury duty.

[Amaya]

70. i found the story refreshing and fun

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[lumberjack_jeff]

127. Sure. The punchline should have been a perp walk. n/t

[LWolf]

137. I thought it was funny.

I've always avoided jury duty. Not because I don't "want" to, but because I don't want to leave my students with a sub day after day, just to show up and not be seated, not knowing if I'll end up on a jury or not. Then there is the ACTUAL jury duty.

That many days out of the classroom is a disservice to my students and their families, and my first responsibility is to them.

If they want to buy out my contract for a year, I'll spend a year doing jury duty and then go back for the next school year.

It might be a more efficient way to get people to serve.

[pleah]

5. ROTFLMAO!

That was hilarious! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Bandit]

6. A true Patriot that guy, I would bet much that he is a Bush* supporter.

America is only there to serve this guy. He has no obligation to serve his country. Republican through and through..

[AspenRose]

78. Bumper sticker I saw yesterday

"Republican: Because not everyone can go on welfare"

:puke:

[Terry in Austin]

100. New bumper sticker

"The GOP: now small enough to drown in the bathtub"

:evilgrin:

[AspenRose]

101. Excellent!

:thumbsup:

[shadowknows69]

7. My wife has to do some soon. I was sent a "questionaire"

which I've yet to fill out. I'd actually love to do it but my various health probs wouldn't allow me to stay in a jury box for maybe hours on end. That, and I doubt bi-polar jurors are in high demand these days.

[Lilith Velkor]

91. Do they ask what your religion is?

If so, fill in "Satanist." That's how I got eliminated at voir dire.

[WeDidIt]

9. I was called to jury duty one time

Judges don't take kindly to this sort of thing from potential jurors.

That could end up in a citation for contempt.

[customerserviceguy]

12. All outrage aside

do we really want this sort of mentality on a jury, deciding the fate of people who might be caught up in a web of lies woven by police and prosecutors?

If I were the judge, I'd probably give thanks that this fool eliminated himself from having to think about what might be one of the most important days in another person's life.

[Bill McBlueState]

16. well, no

But he should at least have to show up and, if called to trial, let the lawyers decide not to empanel him. Being a selfish asshole shouldn't exempt someone from a civic duty.

[customerserviceguy]

124. I'd certainly make this response of his

available to both sets of attorneys, it's guaranteed that one side or the other wouldn't want him.

[DemoTex]

17. I sat on a CRIMINAL court jury last summer. The case?

An illegal lane change. I kid you not. A week of my life .. lost.

[ManiacJoe]

111. How did that get dragged out for a week?

[quaker bill]

18. Have been called 10 times

and served on three juries. Years back serving was at cost to me in wages, but I now have an employer that pays my standard hourly rate while I serve.

I have always found it an honor to serve. So far, I have not been called for a case that would involve capital punishment, which is good. As a Quaker, we don't agree with the death penalty, so I would likely disqualify myself during questioning. Short of that I have no problem serving and am generally called every two years like clockwork.

[havocmom]

27. Have been called in 10 times also, but never picked for a jury

Having cops and/or special investigators for various counties' prosecutors in family seems to be a deal breaker for most defense attorneys.

In AZ, I got $5 a day for sitting there going through questions. Parking cost $5 a day, bus fair was 50 cents, but took several transfers and an hour and a half each way. Three of those times, I was my sole support, not getting any benefits (or paid time off work) and making less than $500 a month (in the 90s)

One time, they ran a bunch of us into a court room and swore us in quickly at the end of the day so they could dismiss us for the day but make us come back next day, instead of waiting 5 minutes then just using people coming in for the next day's pool. So, TWO days work missed and still no chance of being picked for the actual jury due to cops in the family :banghead:

Five times in AZ, I witnessed court workers making announcements that they had received several calls from employers to confirm that employees were, indeed, sitting at the courthouse in a jury pool and not just making silly excuses for not going to work. One court worker remarked, over the PA system, that she was glad the people there understood civic duty better than their employers and that she felt sorry for workers who had such nasty bosses. That was SOME compensation right there!

[quaker bill]

19. Have been called 10 times

and served on three juries. Years back serving was at cost to me in wages, but I now have an employer that pays my standard hourly rate while I serve.

I have always found it an honor to serve. So far, I have not been called for a case that would involve capital punishment, which is good. As a Quaker, we don't agree with the death penalty, so I would likely disqualify myself during questioning. Short of that I have no problem serving and am generally called every two years like clockwork.

[Romulox]

21. I applaud the affiant. He makes several good points.

no sarcasm!

[cali]

23. he does not make a single cogent point and odds are he's a

right wing fuckwad. Good for you for agreeing with his ignorant and pathetic bullshit.

[Romulox]

28. I couldn't care less about what he "must" be. I am responding to the affidavit, nothing more.

And, for example, you are far to my right, politically...

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Romulox]

39. Is that you, Michael Weiner?

[cali]

42. yes, yes, a bernie sanders dem is just like Michael Savage

pathetic, lovey, can't you do a little better than that? Some of us actually think instead of buying into any dogma. I'd suggest you try it, but it's clearly too late for that.

[Romulox]

43. Anyone who uses "trotskyite" as a generic insult for those to her left is mining the exact same vein

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Romulox]

45. That's just a lot of window-dressing on Weiner-esque name-calling.

You use it in the "academic sense", do you? Care to describe your methodology? :rofl:

[spoony]

109. Which "bullshit"?

The notion that jury duty pay is insufficient to keep a family going, or the notion that all too often what goes on in a courtroom is so laughably unjust that sitting there being paid next to nothing isn't worth it?

[MadHound]

24. What points are those?

That it's OK to insult the court, and by extension the rest of us? That one doesn't owe service to this country? Since when is it OK to try and skip out on your duty to give back to this country, even if it's just once in a while?

[Romulox]

31. "I'm not putting my family's well being at stake to participate in this crap"

"That it's OK to insult the court, and by extension the rest of us?"

What absolute rot. The court does NOT represent "the rest of us". Many of us are opposed to the for-profit prison industry.

[MadHound]

51. And frankly, how do you know that what this guy says is true?

That attending jury duty is actually going to put his family's well being at stake? Do you usually take the word of a foul mouthed anti-American? Says a lot about you, none of it good.

And yes, if you go check out the Constitution and what our founding fathers wrote, the justice system in this country, for better or worse, does represent us, it is how the people in this country, all the people in this country, collectively administer justice. If you don't like it, then work to change it. But noooo, it's so much easier to sit on your ass in front of a computer and whine instead:eyes:

[Romulox]

53. "anti-American"???? Oh, brother.

I always thought dissent was the most American thing a person could engage in.

Frankly, between this and your above "Love it or leave it!" post, I'm wondering if you and I belong in the same party. :hi:

[MadHound]

56. No, probably not,

I'm actually quite far to the left of you probably, more in line with the Greens than the Democrats.

And yes, anybody who denigrates the courts in such a foul mouthed manner, over jury duty of all things, certainly sounds anti-American to me, specifically a right wing anti-American. If you want to line up with him, fine.

Dissent is great and grand, I've engaged in plenty of it myself. I also recognize that I have a duty to give back to the country that actually allows me to express my dissent. And frankly, penning such a diatribe against the court and jury duty isn't dissent, it's essentially pissing all over the notion of serving one's country, doing one's duty.

[Romulox]

"I'm actually quite far to the left of you probably," How, pray tell, do you know that?

I've never (before today) heard a self-described Leftist tell anyone to "love it or leave it", or call dissent "anti-American".

Some raging Leftist, you. :rofl:

[MadHound]

85. Hey, at least my position on this, unlike yours, doesn't agree with the majority of folks at FR

<http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2241355/posts>

Aren't you and the OP in some fine company:eyes:

[Romulox]

92. No, I'm pretty sure "get the fuck out of the country" is in line with the majority at FR! nt

[MadHound]

94. Funny though, how the vast majority of them agree with your stance,

So where does that leave you? Hmm, somewhere over to the right of me, that's for damn sure. But hey, you're getting out of this country anyway, so what do you care?

[JonLP24]

57. That he doesn't believe in our "justice" system

Do you believe in a justice system where the President of the United States can hold an American citizen and classify him as an "enemy combatant" without the approval of the United States Congress? A justice system that holds an american citizen without ever seeing a lawyer for 2 years? Hold you without charges for several years? Torture an american citizen with inpunity? The President appeals an american citizen's appeal to get a civilian trial rather then a tribunal? Give you 17 years in a Supermax Prison, 23 hour lockdown, for a thought crime? Given that in under normal circumstances charges would've been thrown out and rightfully so.

Besides given his opinion he would probaly be bias in his opinions about the justice system as I would be.

[MadHound]

59. Given that the first sentence in this man's screed was concerning how jury duty would be a hardship,

I seriously doubt that torture was the reasoning behind this, but rather his own selfish interests, ie, he just couldn't be bothered.

Nor was torture being addressed anywhere in that little tirade, in fact I'd have a lot more respect for him if he had mentioned torture, or any other specifics. Instead it was "fuck this, balls that" a nice little obscene screed that he used to piss all over the justice system.

Oh, and if you remember, it was the justice system in this country that got the ball rolling in order to shut Gitmo down. Darn those activist judges.

[JonLP24]

62. I see your point but who knows the reasoning behind his philosophy.

I know the justice system has good, it does good all the time, look at Iowa for example, but overall it's seriously flawed. That's my opinion, it may not be yours. But we'll have to agree to disagree on the latter point.

On edit: I do work to change by voting. I don't just vote for all the judges on the ballot like I know a few people that do that.

[Kalyke]

65. Selfish?

Jury duty in my town pays $11 a day. I make more than that in an hour. If I had to take a week off for $55, my family would be hurting very badly. We are middle class folks - every dollar in is a dollar spent on bills, food, clothes and utilities.

I don't know about this guy - but I know that if me or my husband had to serve on a jury, it would be a hardship for my family.

[Romulox]

71. Do you like cake? Try eating that.

And remember, dissent is "anti-American"!

:sarcasm:

[MadHound]

74. Would it kill you? Would your family lose their home, or starve, or have the utilities shut off?

If not, then no, I doubt it would truly be a hardship (and trust me, I've known true hardship). As you yourself state, you're in the middle class. Hardship for the middle class generally means that they would have to skip out on the 2X skim half caf everyday or something similar.

If it were truly a hardship for you, you could get excused. But most people scream hardship when it simply isn't true. I think that's exactly what this guy is doing, and throwing in some extra insults for good measure. Sorry, but if I were the judge I'd toss him in the clink and show him what true hardship is.

[Romulox]

76. My good lord. This is a "compassionate" post. nt

[JonLP24]

77. She specifically mentioned every dollar is spent on food, clothes, bills, and utilities

I think that answers your question.

[MedleyMisty]

133. Middle class?

I tend to think of middle class as having quite a bit of disposable income that doesn't go to necessities.

[TXRAT2]

118. "fuck this, balls that"

Had it been my court I would have immediately issued a warrant for his arrest and had a couple of Deputy's pick his ass up. End of story!

[noamnety]

123. His statement didn't insult me, not "by extension" or any other way.

I strongly disagree with your belief that the vast majority of Americans have so much excess money in their budget that they can afford to give up most of their pay for any length of time. That's unrealistic, I can't imagine what you are basing that on. A great many people - including me at some points in my life - do not have extra savings at the end of the month. If the regular paycheck isn't collected, it means not paying bills, rent or cutting back severely on food. If you don't have those problems, that's great for you, but recognize everyone out here is not so fortunate as you are.

Second, the notion that our justice system is unfair strikes me as a very progressive/lefty view. I'm not sure why you are assuming it's right wing by nature. Our justice system goes after poor minorities for petty crimes (smoking pot), while letting rich white embezzlers off the hook. Look at conviction rates for rapists. Having had a family member go through the sham of a rape trial where they postponed the trial over and over again and then decided to cancel it - not because of a lack of evidence, but because "eh, it's been so long we figure he's probably left town by now anyway" - I believe the justice system is a big crock of shit.

Sorry if I insulted you "by extension" with that statement. I am MORE sorry, however, that in the two rape cases that affected people I know, one resulted in not having the trial for that reason, one resulted in a conviction but no jail because "the guy is old, it would be cruel to put him in jail," never mind that he was convicted of molesting a preschooler. And I'm sorry that I've seen my own students have to deal with a racist police force.

I can't imagine feeling personally insulted that someone states the obvious - our justice system isn't just, and many people depend on receiving their full salary to pay their bills.

[kctim]

26. Same here

Maybe our justice system wouldn't suck so bad if more people were like him.

[cali]

35. heah, lets hear it for the illitierate reactive and stupid. they always

improve things.

[Renew Deal]

89. Maybe it wouldn't suck if more people refused to participate?

How does that make sense?

[FarCenter]

25. The Justice System has no regard for the value of the juror's time

Most of the time, you sit around waiting to be called, shuffling around between juror rooms and courtrooms, and generally wasting time.

Jurors ought to be paid at least twice minimum wage out of the court's budget so they would have some incentive to better organize proceedings and stop abusing jurors.

Another reform would be to disallow out-of-court settlements on the day when the trial is to begin. Lawyers should be forced to settle earlier, rather than going through empaneling a jury and then settleing, wasting the court's and jurors time.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

29. Every year or so, I get a questionnaire like clockwork

Just sent one back a few weeks ago.

I've been called in a few times and never been impaneled, but not recently. In recent years I mentioned that I work an hourly wage job that I need to show up to every day.......and so far, luckily, I've never been called back.

[Blue_Tires]

30. translation: "I'll be busy fighting the jew-controlled one-world gummitt"

"having sex with animals and painting the ceiling with my own fecal matter"

[MuseRider]

36. LOL

I got my very first summons last week and I go in in a couple of weeks. I was beginning to wonder, my husband has been called numerous times and even my sons have been called but I never have. $10.00/day here. I kind of want to do this actually but have been thinking my narcolepsy will keep me from being seated, even with my medication. We will see. I will go and see if they accept me. My group number is high so I doubt I even get that far.

[Soylent Brice]

38. i have to admit, i laughed.

as stupid as that was.

[L0oniX]

47. If they ever get me on a jury they will be sorry. Pay backs are hell!

[Marr]

48. Want to count the wrinkles on your dog's balls? There's an app for that, too.

i-phone.

*music*

[Hugin]

58. Recently, I proudly served my term.

The Judge even gave me a very nice frame-able paper certificate for my time. (Much more than I've ever gotten at work.) :D

Now, I do understand that there is great hardship by workers and a lack of understanding of the Legal Obligations of Citizens by Employers (as is evidenced by the state of the economy) and that's something in dire need of being addressed.

[Maru Kitteh]

60. It's OK to love your pets.........

Just don't LOVE - your pets.

[AspenRose]

84. ROFL

I love that movie :-)

[ismnotwasm]

61. That's pretty hilarious

I do think our justice system would be better served if more people served on jury duty, rather than criticizing the system itself. Lots of people get out of it, leaving a smaller pool of people to decide cases.

This guy in no way should do jury duty, as he himself clearly recognized. He is funny though. Makes me wish my dog had balls so I could use that line.

[mnhtnbb]

66. I sat on a criminal case jury trial when I was a stay at home Mom. Got paid

$5/day for jury duty and paid my sitter $8/hr to babysit for 2 days.

Two other jurors and myself ended up turning the jury to a not guilty verdict from the first
secret ballot 9 guilty 3 not guilty.

When we came back to the court room with the verdict, the white victim could not believe
a small town jury in Missouri had found a black defendant not guilty --by reason of self defense.

It was quite an experience.

[surrealAmerican]

68. Wonder how he'd feel if he was the one on trial.

I guess he'd never get a jury of his peers since those peers would also think serving on a jury is less valuable than carefully examining their dog's scrotums.

[SOS]

69. Jury duty...

The pay needs to be much higher. Giving jurors $20 or $30 a day is ridiculous.

But it can be rewarding.
My wife swayed 11 jurors to acquit a teenager on a trumped up gun charge.
I helped get a heroin sale charge dropped to simple possession.
Two things of beauty, of which we are proud.

[JonLP24]

81. You and your wife are heroes. I mean that literally.

Even if the herion was a sale, not talking wholeselling that's a different game, the sentences are ridiculous even if there wasn't a violent act involved. What your wife did was especially wonderful as well.

[Democrats_win]

72. Down side of voting: jury duty. Voting Democrat has no meaning so why vote?

The Democrats have all the power they need. We gave it to them and now they do nothing. Since voting gets you on the jury duty list, surely there is no reason to vote.

[ecstatic]

107. No meaning? So the replacement of a Supreme Court justice has

no meaning? :eyes:

[BlooInBloo]

87. Though he's presumably an ideologically and intellectually useless asshat....

Financial/employment burdens are, and should be a valid reason to not serve.

[Bombero1956]

96. jury duty for me is no big deal

I've been called 3 times and served on one trial. Here you get one day or one trial, if you don't get picked they leave you alone for 3 years. Your employer must pay you the same as if you showed up for work. All you have to do is show them the certificate of service at work and it's all good. This guy sounds like a complete rightwing whackjob as witnessed by the fact that his wife had to write it for him. I'm surprised he could put together a complete sentence.

[Throd]

99. I pretty much agree with everything he wrote

I just would have been more polite.

I lived five freakin' blocks from the courthouse in Long Beach and had to show up at the one in downtown Los Angeles.

[Canuckistanian]

104. .... 56, 57, 58, 59.......

Ok, that's the left side! Now for the right side. 1, 2, 3.....

[Arugula Latte]

134. "Hey, stop moving around, Bailey! Now I'm gonna have to start over!"

[onlyadream]

105. I know people (myself included) who get called every 2 years

and then some who never get called. This irritates me since it is plainly not fair. I also know people who have the time and WANT to sit, but don't get called. Why can't the gov't have some volunteers and use them first before plucking people out of their lives for a few weeks?

[Bombero1956]

108. Here in Massachusetts

everybody gets called, even those in law enforcement and public safety. We even had a police chief get called. If you get empaneled either side can challenge during voir dire. My first time getting called I was excused because I knew the arresting officer and the assistant DA. I think the system we have here is the most fair way to handle jury service.

[onlyadream]

121. that's much different than here in NY

and more fair. Seriously, I started getting called one week after 18 and every 2 years since (I'm 42 now). My sister, parents, husband, etc. NEVER got called once!!!

[Catherine Vincent]

106. LOL!

"LEAVE ME THE F ALONE!!!"

[KamaAina]

112. Does he have a Shar Pei?

[TheCentepedeShoes]

114. I have been called

4 times since 2002 - 3 for county and 1 for city
Fortunately, county has a number you can call/website you can visit the day before to see if your panel needs to report and I had to show up only one time
City doesn't and you have be there
Parking is free and my company considers it a paid day off apart from vacation or sick time
When I lived in Tampa it was more hassle
I lived in the NE (Temple Terrace) and would have to go downtown, parking was a pain, the boss gave you the evil eye and instructions to "get out of it"
Funny, the person we had to call with our excuse was a former receptionist at our firm
The one who took a message for an employee that said "Northdale (Golf Club) called and said they found your sandwich on the 10th green"

[Bigmack]

119. I've been called many times....

and never chosen.

"Do you believe the police might entrap someone?" YES! Excused.

Another time...

"Have you ever been arrested for protesting?" YES! Excused.

Defense or Plaintiff/Prosecutor....They don't want somebody with definite ideas.

[TheMightyFavog]

122. I sat on a jury a few years ago.

It was a civil dispute between a kid who had been in the news recently for making Eagle Scout who had been attacked by a dog as a kid, and was fighting with his insurance company over compensation.

In an attempt to woo us into finding for him, the Plaintiff's attorney claimed that the large scar on his arm from the dog bite "Would impact his love life" (Bullshit. I'm sure this kid, who's probably a senior in college by now has used that scar many a time to try to get laid.)

He also claimed that he was being tormented in school, with kids calling him "Milk Bone" and throwing dog biscuits at him.
(That bit redlined my internal bullshit detector so much that I damn near busted out laughing in the jury box.)

Long story short, we found for the insurance company.

[cherish44]

125. If I were the judge

I'd excuse the guy only if he brought in his dog and counted its ball wrinkles right there in court. Honestly, who the fuck LIKES jury duty? What a moran

[underseasurveyor]

126. What an ignorant jerk

for not neutering his dog.

[lumberjack_jeff]

128. I don't have any respect for, or sympathy with people who don't think "civic duty" means them. n/t

[Scout]

129. something we agree on for once, _jeff :-) n/t

[noamnety]

130. For most people, the problem is not the concept of "civic duty"

It's that it interferes with the ability to make ends meet, it pays less than minimum wage in many cases (far less than a living wage), the state is allowed to basically force you at THEIR convenience to work for a wage that would be illegal by any other employer.

Many people who like to whine about it being a "civic duty" have never served in the military and strongly oppose a draft. As a vet, I always take note of that. They oppose mandatory blood donations, and themselves don't donate blood every time they are eligible. They may vote, but don't believe that should be mandatory with a jail sentence if you abstain. They like to allow themselves the luxury of which civic duties they participate in, but don't believe others should be allowed to make their own choices.

I would prefer to overturn the entire system. I would rather have jury duty be on a volunteer basis - you enter your name on the rolls if you are willing to serve, and those on unemployment would get an extra bonus for serving. Frankly, I'd rather have a juries composed of people who earn less - I think it would be great for our justice system to give more power to the people who are most oppressed - kind of the ultimate checks and balances, because our current system of checks and balances too often has rich white men acting as the checks on other rich white men.

[bemildred]

131. The court system has no more right to expect the automatic support and cooperation

from the public than the government itself, and the right to peacefully assemble and petition for redress of grievances is embedded in The Constitution. The duty of support and cooperation between the government and the public is reciprocal. I have reported for jury duty many times, been selected for a jury a few times, and uniformly been treated with bureacratic disrespect by the court system. They can uniformly expect the same from me.

[NYC Liberal]

132. So, if he's ever charged, rightly or wrongly - I assume he will request a bench trial?

Otherwise, who is going to serve on HIS jury should he be hauled into court for whatever reason?

[Arugula Latte]

135. I'm actually somewhat surprised that his grammar and writing skills were semi-coherent.

He forgot an apostrophe in "familys" and his spelling of "goddam" is debatable, but, all in all, not a bad effort, coming from a member of the U.S. public. He even spelled "morons" without an "a" at the end. :)

[adamuu]

136. I hope someday he is falsely accused of a crime

and all of his potential jurors are disgruntled and filled with blind anger

[Mike 03]

138. Not an intelligent strategy for avoiding JD. Also, were I on trial, would I want an assclown like

this sitting in judgment on me? I have met guys like this on juries.

[Djinn]

139. with any luck

he'll be arrested of something sooner or later and he can then be sentenced without the benefit of being judged by a jury of his peers.

Society has responsibilities as well as benefits (though admittedly Americans are a little lax on the benefits bit) bet my next pay check this guy is happy to RECEIVE from society. Selfish turd.

ON edit - instead of dodging a civic duty how about joining a union, getting active in it and getting what almost everyone else in the western world has - JURY LEAVE at full pay (minus whatever the going stipend is)