This morning I finally got the right amount of time right to get there. I arrived 15 minutes ahead of time which was just perfect in my opinion. This wasn't too early or too late. Just right!
Around 9:30, after roll call, a list of jurors was read and asked to form a line at the door. This was not done in panels for the first time this week. A few people were taken from each panel. I'm not sure if they were picked randomly or what. These people stand at the door for about 10 minutes. Then one of the girls that works there comes in and tells these people they can sit down. The case was settled.
We sit and wait and wait and wait.
They come in again and do the same thing again. Some of the people that were called earlier are called again and some are different. The boy was has been sitting next to me all week who is in the Navy is called this time. He is not happy. He did not want to be on a jury. It's funny. Some people really want to serve on the jury and some don't at all. They were to report to Judge Graddick's courtroom. Off they went!
Next Panel's 9 and 10 who have not been called at all this week are asked to line up at the door. This group goes out and only a few people are then left in the assembly room. The buzz is that the rest of us will be released soon. Sure enough, as this group leaves out to go to Judge Lockett's courtroom, we are told that today is our last day for jury duty. Cheers go up in the room. We are told we will need still need to stay for about 30 minutes while our checks are printed. We are allowed to go the jury breakroom and get coffee and snacks if we like.
Just as we begin our break, one of the panels that was just called out comes back in with us as well. Their case was settled as well. A lot of us have been discussing how strange it is that so many people wait until they actually get to the courtroom to settle. If they can settle then, why can't they settle the day before. It just seems to take up a lot of people's time. The very opinionated, old Mobile woman that I spoke of yesterday said that she thinks there should be a 24 hour time limit before a court case that if you are not settled, you must go through with the case. I tend to agree with her. I'll have to ask Brittany or Jan Everett why they allow this. Inquiring minds want to know.
With my whopping check of $33.00 for my 3 days and gas in my hands, I now take my last leisurely walk from City Hall to the Civic Center. My civic duties are now complete. As I think about if, very few of the 300 people called to jury duty ever got to serve on an actual jury. I only know of 3 cases that actually went to jury. Most people didn't get as far as I did. At least I made it into an actual courtroom to see how a jury is picked. That was very interesting and I enjoyed my experience.
P.S. I saw on the news last night (Thurs. night) that the case that I knew the boy and had to excuse myself ended up in a hung jury after 4 days. They jury deliberated for two solid days. I'm sure that was very stressful. The case will be tried again next month in front of another jury. I know my friends whose grandson was shot are disappointed because they will now have to go through this all over again.
On the way home, my arms really began to itch. I decided to stop by a drug store on the way home and let the pharmacist look at my arms and see what he might suggest I use on them. He told me I needed to go to a doctor and that they would give me a steroid shot and prescribe some cream. He said I had had the rash too long to keep on trying to treat it myself. So I had to find a doc in a box. I went by an office close to the house and they told me to be back at 2:00. I saw Dr. Houston about an hour later. He told my I was allergic to something--no duh! He did just what the pharmacist said. He gave me a steriod shot and a Rx. They told me the shot would take effect quickly. It did. The itching subsided but I started feeling drowsy and very tired right afterwards. It was about 3:30 at this point, so I decided to go on home and rest. I would just use a half a day of sick leave at work.
Vacation begins in 10 days!!!
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