Jury Duty

I was summonsed for Jury Duty this week. I have to admit, I was really dreading it. I thought it was a burden, and the only thing that I could find positive about it was that I got a break from work... but, then I always miss the kids! So, I showed up Monday and sat in the Jury Room all morning and part of the afternoon. I got called to the court room for a jury selection mid afternoon on Monday. I was selected Tuesday morning, and the trial began Tuesday afternoon. It was a criminal charge, which sorta frightened me. We were all selected in front of the defendant and all of his family. (Pretty revealing and intimidating situation.) I never knew that is how it was done. We heard all of the testimony and I took diligent notes. There were lots of in and out of the Jury Room that I did not expect, so I assume that there was a lot going on and a lot of information that we did not hear. The judge (who I absolutely loved and reminded most of us Damon Wayans) was great! He let us ask questions to the witnesses, so that we could have a full grasp of the information that we were receiving. The State rested, then the Defense, and then we went into the third day for diliberation. We gave our verdict, and were released back into the jury room. After sitting in there for a little while, the judge came into the room with us, and allowed us to ask him anything that we wanted to at that point. He answered all questions very carefully, but he did answer questions. Alex had wanted me to ask him why he was not using his hammer, and I did. He very quickly told me to inform her that it was called a gavel (which I already had). Then he told us that he prefers to give a "look" before getting out the gavel and that usually works. And then the best of all... he was asked about a line of questioning that went on with the defending attorney (who was out of order) and he replied (remember he is a Damon Wayans look alike and talk alike)...... "I don't play that!" CLASSIC!! All he needed was a sock to hit the attorney across the head! We all thought it was pretty funny! no one ever got up the nerve to ask him if he had ever gotten the resemblence comment before.