As I said, we were called and told to wait. Then they called us and told us to take a long lunch and be back at 1pm. Got back at 1pm and the bailiff came to get us around 1:30. Took us to the courtroom where the lawyers proceeded to ask group and individual questions. Trying to see who they could dismiss from the panel. They sent us out of the room to wait. When they came out again they called six names, those were the ones that would be sitting on the trial. Michelle Lewis!!!!! That would be me. So we were on a DUI case. One witness for the prosecution (the sheriffs officer, one video from the front of the patrol car and the lawyers for both sides presented their case. When all was said and done we went into the jury room. I was voted forman, why!! Do you want to talk or take a straw pole to see where we start. 4 not guilty and 2 guilty. Then we discuss the difference merits if the case, wrote a list of questions we needed answers too and then got called back in the court. They could not answer our questions but they could read the instructions again. Ok, that did it. We now knew what we had to do. Back in the room,one goes to the restroom the rest of us decide to vote, but wait we need the other call. We finally get the form filled out, buz the buzzer to let them know we are ready. Go out there and made this guys day. We were not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that he was but he did perform the field test and it was on camera and we thought he did as fine as any man 100 pounds over weight could do. Had we not watched the video from the officers car we would have all gone guilty just because he refused the tests. But his appearance did not support that finding.
Anyway, Home at 7, PBJ for dinner and then helped Anna with her homework. AND now I need to get to bed.
Later
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7 comments:
Glad you were able to do your civic duty and still make it home for the night.
Have a great rest of the week.
Hummmmmm?????? Enough said from me!
Get ready for your next storm, it's a comin'
I could eat PB&J for every meal. Really, I put PB on just about anything!
Kimmy
Wow, you were picked and a DWI case to boot. Geesh! How ironic..hope that is a good omen and send prayers our way please :)
Glad you had just a one-day-er :)
Nope, I am going to have to come back and make a comment....You can NOT go by appearance on DUI. DUI is a number not an action and since he refused the test it should have been a DUI. Unless the officer was not creditable, his years of experience should have been enough to convict this man. Just because someone appears to not be drunk does not make them at the legal limit. That is why we have the laws of Implied Consent, well at least here in Oklahoma we do. When you get a drivers license you "promise" to take a breath test or blood test depending on your condition. And if you refuse then you are charged with DUI and lose your license. The burden of proof is upon the defendant to prove he WAS NOT drunk. Unless Florida is different. Yet if that man had driven down the road and hit and killed someone after the officer had stopped him and made contact with him, the victims families would have been all over the officer wanting to sue him for derelect of duty.
Ok, enough said now....I feel better.
I have stories that would make your toenails curl about DUI and how people act.
Oh well, this guy will do it again, no doubt.
it sounds like you made someones day.
batten down the hatches! Whats the forecast for your area??
I wish all of the states had a consistant law regarding drunk driving. In PA they dont even have to go to court, they just get a ticket. Kind of like if you get caught speeding. I had a patient once that received his 7th DUI at the bedside after he hit someones HOUSE with his car.
The cop told me that there arent enough jails for the drunks on the road in PA.
we have a horrible time with DUI's here too, but Colorado takes their car, their drivers license AND fines them $1k for the first offense. And over half of the drunks dont have licenses so they even get more charges... I LOVE seeing DUI's pulled over by our cops!
Wow. Is it weird that I've always wanted to be on a jury but never been called? Well, except once when I was in college, but I was let out of it since I was away from home...and speaking of college - the Dawgs are the mascot where I went to school - University of Georgia. P.C. to call them the Georgia Bulldogs. But we really refer to them as the "Dawgs." You will probably read about them more than you ever wanted to on my blog in the fall.. :)
But thanks for asking!
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