Jury duty

Jury Duty July 5, 2005

In my festive post Freedom Day celebration mood I awakened to a day that provided my introduction to the jury duty selection process. I will never be the same.

Although theories abound as to how one is “called” to jury duty, I could find no explanation for the first experience exposing me to the criminal court system of Cook County (Chicago). From the 6th floor waiting room, I viewed acres upon acres of towered, barbed wired 30’ fenced prisons filled with front page news stories - stories that precipitate hugging a loved one while weeping... Sobering. And the place was filthy.

I take my civic responsibility seriously and I allowed time to lose my way, was loaded down with reading material, and prepared to sit amongst the masses with a grateful heart and open mind to what God would reveal.

The diversity of 400-500+ people in the initial holding room was unimpressive. It considered that, although serving on jury is the law, most occupations, businesses, and personal responsibilities demand allegiance to one’s personal survival first. The result was a reduced playing field of jurors. But for me, God provided this window with no current job, kids away, and a break from academia.

My commitment was to the process and I approached it as a child of God (vs. Atilla the Hun), and was totally prepared to see through God's lens, not the “public/secular” lens. I seek to understand and act on justice, as the Lord requires. I did not articulate this with anyone, and was at peace.

I was in the first group of 50 to be called, and the very first called in the courtroom, the first to answer all the questions. It was I who was walked through the questions as the judge explained the "whys" of each. He was a pleasant fellow who engaged each individual with respect and compassion. I felt confident that my responses indicated an intelligent and just individual. I told him where I lived, that I was a student, both university names, the degree programs, that I worked in nonprofit, that I had been an elementary school teacher of the Physically Health Impaired, that I had two kids, and I didn’t know what my husband did for a living, that I got my news from the internet, that I did not watch T.V.- ever, among many other points of his and court interest. I learned that I really have had an uneventful criminal history compared to everyone else! ... I did NOT tell him that I was a Christian nor who I voted for (he didn't ask either)...I looked really nice, summery but conservative.

The case before the court was burglary. The defendant was tall, mid 30’s, white and I didn’t know of him or anyone else involved.

So why was I dismissed? I am so very bummed...