I spent two of my precious days at home doing jury duty. They drew me about two years ago, however, each time I returned the card saying that I was away at school. This time, they denied the request and told me to report on July 21st. Or else.
Well, since I'm currently in Pittsburgh, that didn't quite work for me. So my parents kindly called, explaining the situation, and they said for me to report on Tuesday, the first day of the work week (since Monday was Memorial Day).
So I go in on Tuesday, and I'm called in the group heading over to the municipal court next door (instead of the county court).
Well, the trial, with its six witnesses (yeah, it was an actual criminal trial with all the trimmings), lasted all of Tuesday, and we finally went into deliberations Wednesday at about 3:30pm.
The defendant had been arrested for reckless driving and 4th degree assault (meaning that he didn't necessarily injure the guy, but he "intentionally touched with intent to harm or offend"). All of the stories basically lined up. A crashed car because he couldn't make a corner? Yup, guilty of reckless driving. Even if he might have been provoked, he had a choice to pull over.
And the assault? The victim of the assault had had a cellphone kicked out of his hand, with the foot possibly continuing up to kick his forehead too. Well, one juror wasn't sure that a kick that might have been aimed for the cellphone and happened to kick his hand was an "intentional touching" of his body. I mean, the defendant could have accidentally hit his hand... according to her.
The rest of us didn't have the same feeling, but it turned into a hung jury.
If you want more details of the whole situation (that involved racial tensions, a BMW, and a Risk game), strike up a conversation sometime. But that was my civic duty, so I can remain a citizen of Washington State. And with no income tax, who wouldn't?
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