Jury Duty

I have jury duty for an unknown amount of time. I'm first alternate on a case downtown. Obviously I can't talk about it until it's over, but it's an interesting learning experience I can share with the kids and use for future writing projects.

It is not Phil Spector's trial, but I did see the massive media circus assembled outside the courthouse this afternoon as I drove home. I'm glad I didn't land on that jury.

There is a picture of Edward James Olmos with his jury badge on the wall in the jury lounge. Now I have a conversation piece for the next time I run into him at a Battlestar Galactica event. He's the only celebrity in his picture who's not smiling.

A talent agent and a former sitcom writer were both rejected from the jury. Alas.

As you might expect, court is a lot more boring than Law and Order. The juror next to me started drawing pictures of flowers in her notebook, then later pulled out her cell and began texting people. If the bailiff saw that he'd have chopped off her pinky. That dude does not play around with the cell phone rule.

Of course, I'm one to talk. During the selection process we got numbers and I was number 50, so naturally I drew all over my number because I don't enjoy being so impersonal. The eventual conversation went something like this:

Prosecutor: Juror 50, did you draw that on your card?
Me (sheepishly): Yes, it was before we were told we had to give them back.
Prosecutor: What is that, a peace sign inside the zero?
Me: Yes.
Judge: What else did you draw there?
Me: Some pictures.
Judge: Of what?
Me: Flowers and hearts and a cent sign.
Judge: A what?
Me: So I could be Fifty Cent.
Prosecutor: Like the singer?
Me: Yes.
Everybody: Hahahaha.

That's me, bringing levity to the courtroom.

The trial won't be over until next week probably, so when that happens I'll give lots of details. In the meantime I'm enjoying my $15 a day and 34 cents a mile one way. Woohoo.