Also scheduled for Sunday night is a sleep study for my eldest, 15, at the hospital. I'm worried about going from one to the other, getting there on time, and finding my way to and from both places, not to mention remembering where I parked! The study didn't go as well as it could: he didn't sleep much and neither did I. He has to repeat it. I'm running further behind than I'd hoped, but we make it out of the hospital and I'm on my way to find the courthouse. By the time I've parked in the nearby lot, I'm not only upset and shaking, but I've gone down the wrong way on a one-way street! (Cars were honking at me and all! Thank god no police were around!) I put to memory the second place that I've parked for the day and set off to find a small breakfast place. I only have time for coffee. They begrudgingly take my credit card for the $2 charge. I leave to find the courthouse again.
Inside, there is a metal detector and scanner similar to at the airport. I have my cellphone with me which, since it has a camera, is against the rules. I put it inside a small locker with the quarters I've brought just in case. I march upstairs with other prospective jurors toward our holding cell. We check in. We sit. We get fed danishes in plastic bags and bad coffee. We get the lo-down on how it might happen in the court room. We are taken to the court room.
Once in the court room itself, the judge, three lawyers, defendant and secretary and a few others are seated. Twelve names are called at random to sit in the jury seats. The rest of us sit in the back and watch and wait. From then on, its a matter of asking each in the box a series of questions. If you'd rather not have everyone hear your answer, you can go up to the judge and answer in private. Several times, this happens, and the juror is dismissed of his duties and may go home. They are asked if they have any reason they think they should go home, and some give reasons like they have to work, or they are going on vacation. Some of the reasons are denied. This process continues over and over and over. Lots of times, the attorneys ask the prospective jurors questions about their specific statements and situations. Its as if they are being examined in a trial! So I'm watching, glad I hadn't had much coffee this morning, sitting on that hard bench indefinitely, when my name is called! I walk up to the jury box of red seats and sit down. I start shaking like a leaf. His Honor asks me if I know anyone named in the list of names read previously. I answered that yes, I did, and that that person was an attorney on the case where my great-grandmother was murdered. A lawyer asks me to elaborate on the case surrounding my great-grandmother's murder. I'm still shaking. So I say that she was raped and murdered by a serial rapist and the case was brought back out due to DNA evidence. The judge then asks if I could be impartial if this lawyer were to be involved in our case and I said no, I could not, honestly. He then asks if I have any medical conditions and if I'm on medications for them. "Yes, I'm bipolar," I answer. "Did you take your medication today?" he inquires. "Yes," I reply. The lawyers and the judge have one of their little meetings for a minute or two and then tell me that my duty is over and I may leave.
I went back down the hall to the juror room, get my pay card for $17 and left. I found my car okay and went out to eat for about as much money. Now I'm back home in my pajamas. Its been snowing all day and its just feels good to be home and comfortable! I don't know what the reason is for not wanting me- if its the brain meds, or if its just mental illness in general, but whatever it is, it works for me. I didn't want to go there every day, park, and most of all try to remember all the details of the case. That *is* something that my brain drugs do- make it difficult to remember things sometimes! Especially Topomax.
So there it is. I got kicked out for one or two reasons and it was all well that ended well.
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