Civic Duty.

Yesterday ended my last day of my 3 day trial as a juror.  It was such an amazing experience and I am proud to have performed my civic duty.

Jury Duty began last Wednesday.  I've done Jury Duty a number of times, but it's been years.  After the orientation, they began with the first selection.  My name was the fourth one read aloud.  I thought it interesting that they called us by name instead of number.  Apparently, if you haven't been called for several years, they make sure they get you by calling out your full name.

I made my way down a level and mustered in the assigned courtroom.  Sitting in the audience, I listened to everyone answer all the questions that were asked, deciding my own answers.  I was soon called into the seat of Juror #6.  Apparently, they were fine with my answers, knowing people in the police force and also knowing people in jail.

The trial began that same day.  An older man, I'd say in about his 60's, was the defendant.  He was found sleeping in the back seat of his daughter's car.  The car was parked in front of the Embassy Suites in Irvine, blocking part of the driveway.  It was almost 1:00am.  When a young officer knocked on his window and woke him up, he was distorted.  After he agreed to her searching his car, she came upon a black bag which he immediately denied was his.  The contents it held included two used pipes, used and new syringes, a lighter, a little bag of 4 Hydrocodone (Vicodin), 4 little bags of a crystal-like substance, a scale with a granular substance, and a spoon with a cotton-like residue.

Obviously, a pretty experienced druggie.

The case was to find out mainly if he had the intent to sell the drugs or was just using.  We listened to 3 witnesses, all within the police force.  We came back the next day to continue and finally deliberate.  We had Friday off and then returned Monday to try to come to an agreement.  Finally, with my excellent reasoning (yes, I'm taking the credit here) we all agreed he was guilty with the intent to sell.  Intent to sell is a far worse charge than just possession.  Not to mention possessing Vicodin without a prescription is a felony.

Let's just our streets have one less druggie on them for a looooong time.

I have to be honest though, as I was walking with a few of my fellow jurors, I felt so sorry for the man.  We even got teary-eyed because his case was so sad.  We know we made the right choice because the evidence was all there.  We had to remind ourselves that we didn't put him in jail, or make his life turn out this way.  He was the one who went down that path.  His choices led him there.