BARNSTABLE, Mass. (AP) -- A Cape Cod man who claimed he was homophobic, racist and a habitual liar to avoid jury duty earned an angry rebuke from a judge on Monday, who referred the case to prosecutors for possible charges.''In 32 years of service in courtrooms, as a prosecutor, as a defense attorney and now as a judge, I have quite frankly never confronted such a brazen situation of an individual attempting to avoid juror service,'' Barnstable Superior Court Judge Gary Nickerson told Daniel Ellis, according to a preliminary court transcript of the exchange.
Ellis, of Falmouth, had been called to court with about 60 other potential jurors for possible service on a 23-member grand jury.
Details here from the AP via the New York Times.
Comments (< $MTEntryCommentCount$>)
A lying, racist, homophobe. Sounds like some of our elected officials.
Posted by Angie Hartford | < $MTCommentDate$>
Posted on July 10, 2007 15:39
I personally believe, that we should be FREE to make our own decision as to wether or not we would like to be on a jury! This is America right?? Why is this judge even thinking about wasting our tax dollars on charging someone for not wanting to be on a jury? This judge should not be allowed to serve as such! I've seen the waste that goes on in the courtroom and the time it takes for them to push a case through. I say drop it, and go after a real criminal!!
Posted by Anonymous | < $MTCommentDate$>
Posted on July 11, 2007 00:04
The choice to serve on Jury Duty is not ours. It is a duty that one has because he lives in a free nation. Freedom comes with rights but also with responsibilities. Jury duty is a responsibility, serving in a war if drafted are two of these responsibilities.
Freedom, is not free.
Posted by That Lawyer Dude | < $MTCommentDate$>
Posted on July 13, 2007 04:30
So what if one really is racist and homophobic and a habitual liar? Shouldn't one disclose that as relevant to jury duty?
If one does not feel qualified to be a juror, that should be a sufficient reason to be excused. Perhaps one should lose the right to vote if one is not capable of being a juror.
Posted by daedalus2u | < $MTCommentDate$>
Posted on July 18, 2007 08:21