Civic Duty or was that Skivvies Duty?

Being the good driver and registered voter that I am (the two ways in which one gets into the jury pool in the first place, through the DMV and voting records, at least according to the literature provided by the judicial system), I have been fulfilling my civic duty and appearing for jury duty, the entire week. Not just one day. Nope. No call-in each day to inquire as to whether I was to appear in person or just continue whistling while I work. Nope. Every day. From 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., not counting the driving, the parking, the walking down three flights of stairs, being "wanded" by security, and walking up five flights of stairs, then repeated in reverse, several times a day. At least I am getting a teeny, tiny bit of exercise each day, going up and down so many stairs; plus, I haven't allowed myself one single visit to the "vending" area, which I fear is filled with calorie-laden goodies that are positively deadly and would seem quite appealing after sitting on my duff for hours at a stretch.

This schedule of non-activity is quite unlike my usual up and down activities of walking to greet each student, popping up during our meetings to photocopy important documents that students bring in and providing them with copies of their ed plans, and then escorting them back up to the front waiting area, to greet yet another waiting student. At least that's some type of movement (although it probably wouldn't score very many "activity" points on Weight Watchers; still, it's better than nothing).

Unlike previous stints of jury duty, I have not spent endless hours in the jury waiting area this time around. Instead, I have spent an entire week listening to about 60 of the 100 people they will interview as prospective jurors, with the three attorneys and the judge asking each prospective jurors the same questions over and over and over and over again (although cleverly worded, slightly different each time around. Correction: cleverly is the operative word here. I personally don't think the questions are cleverly worded at all, but I imagine the attorneys probably do).

Although I was selected for jury duty way back in the 70's and served on two criminal cases in the past (one for indecent exposure and lewd acts in a public restroom, which was so racy for the 70's; the other for stealing hair dye from a drug store, and then being roughed up by a security officer), I remember spending a lot of time in the jury waiting area. I also met a lovely woman who would subsequently be a friend for life. She worked at CSULA and I was a student at CSULA. We hit it off immediately. I remember the thrill of eating lunch in downtown L.A. at different, inexpensive restaurants (how in the world could I afford that back then? I can't afford it now; I'm strictly a brown bagger), shopping, strolling around, and just generally being thrilled to be on a jury, and delighted to meet and begin to know such a dear friend.

This time around, it is decidedly different. The case involved is extremely serious and somewhat high profile. I am a much older and hopefully wiser prospective juror, and I have spent a fair amount of time with attorneys, law enforcement personnel, as well as parolees, and as an expert witness on the stand on many occasions.

Which is why I am fairly certain I won't get picked for the final jury and panel of alternates. Not only do I work with individuals that are in the same age group as the defendants, and I have been robbed at gunpoint (which I felt obligated to share, as one of the questions is "Have you ever been a victim of a crime?"), albeit many, many years ago, and my interactions with attorneys, law enforcement, and parolees has been pleasant and rewarding, I'm thinking they just won't pick me. The jury consultants for the prosecution and the defense are busily scratching away, compiling one list after another, furiously red-lining and repositioning their post-its time and time again, as one after another prospective juror is thanked and excused.

So, for now, I am on the jury panel and will return on Monday for another couple of days of jury selection. Since there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to who they are thanking and excusing, only time will tell.

If, for some strange and bizarre reason, I am actually chosen to sit on this jury, I can expect the trial to last at least a month to a month and a half. Hum. So many "vending" opportunities. So little pocket change.