I have just completed my first jury duty experience, and to be quite frank, it is an experience I would prefer not to repeat. EVER.
The process began with the jury selection on Monday. Our group was sent to the courtroom and told that 31 random names would be drawn. I really did not want to be selected, not because I didn't want to serve, but because it just wasn't a good time. I was just off for two weeks, had been back for two weeks, and now this! As we made our way up the stairs to the second floor, my purse came open and all of the contents spilled out. A couple of men stopped to help me gather up my things, and then we were on our way. We grabbed the last few remaining seats in the gallery and waited for things to begin.
They explained to us that the court clerk would draw 31 names at random to comprise the jury pool. At this time the defendants, the defense attorneys, the prosecutor and of course the judge, were all already in the courtroom. The first name drawn was the man sitting next to me who had helped me pick up my things. I knew before they said it that my name was going to be the next name called. I also knew that instant that I would be on this jury. I don't know how I knew, I just knew.
At one point during the jury selections, there was a woman who said that she did not feel that she could serve on a jury because according to God, it was not her place to judge another.
As the trial began, it became evident that this was by no means a clear cut case. It was a sexual assault case, and therefore by nature came down to he said she said. I found myself wondering why I couldn't have been selected for something simpler, like a drug trial, where the evidence would be more clear cut, more obvious, less ambiguous.
This is by no means a complaint. It was a very good experience, and I can honestly say that I learned a great deal about how I relate with others. For example, I have very little tolerance for people who have to state their opinion about every little thing without letting anyone else complete a thought or get a word in edgewise. I also have very little tolerance for people who think that just because they experienced something one way, that EVERY other person who experiences the same thing should have the same feelings, the same reactions, the same responses. In this intolerance of mine, I tend to be more blunt and direct than some people are used to, and that is clearly something I need to continue to work on.
One of the most interesting parts of the experience was watching people come to their ultimate and final decisions and what it took for each person. We deliberated the case for about nine hours total--about five last night (until 11:30 pm) and four today. Nine total hours debating one simple point: Was the sexual activity in question consensual or not? There were many side points confirming or refuting that we discussed, but ultimately there was just that one single question to be answered, and it took twelve of us NINE HOURS to agree on the answer. I have to say that it was one of the most exhausting experiences of my life. It is hard enough to get TWO people to agree, let alone TWELVE!
So, in a nutshell, I am glad to have experienced this, just for the mere sake of seeing inside of the judicial process first hand. I am tired from the effort of reaching a consensus, which last night I had thought we were never going to reach. I am grateful that the trial is done and over with and I can now return to my life as usual.
