My day as a juror

This past week I served as a juror. I must admit that when I received my jury summons, I was less than thrilled. My mind was immediately filled with visions of trials "as seen on t.v." And I had just returned from taking some time off for a retreat and to spend time with my mother during a recent surgery. The last thing that I wanted to do was take more time off of work.

I opted to go ahead and take my chances, turn in my juror documentation instead of requesting the one "free" skip that I am allowed in the state of Texas. I filled out all the personal questions and sent my paperwork to the court, hoping that my chances of being selected were small.

The day that I had to report, I was shocked! There were 294 of us crammed into one room. We were informed that 3 panels would be selected that day and there would be 123 of us going to the next selection process. As fate would have it, the juror selection software malfunctioned. They actually had to put all of our names in a box lid and draw our names the old fashioned way...out of a hat so to speak. It did bring humor to the situation.

Panel number 1 - I escaped. Panel number 2 - I escaped. Panel number 3 - "Elizabeth Russell". I was forced to respond appropriately, "Here". I had been selected. Court is adjourned. Be back at 1:30, report to your assigned bailiff.

I reported to the courtroom at 1:30, seated in my assigned seat to answer questions asked of me and the other panel members by the attorneys. The case was a personal injury case involving an motor vehicle accident. I was asked if I had been involved in anything similar. My answer was "yes". I thought I would be dismissed. The prospective jurors were asked to wait in the hallway for jury selection. All 36 of us filed into the hallway. We waited and waited. Certain people were called to talk to the judge and the attorneys privately. We waited some more. My name was called. I had to speak before the judge. I was questioned again about my car accident and my mother's accident. I thought for sure I would be dismissed. Back into the hallway I went. An hour and 10 minutes later, we were called back into the court room to hear the 12 jurors names that would serve. My name was the 6th name called. I took my position in the jury box. I raised my right hand, again, and went under oath. I was to report back to court the next morning at 8:45 a.m.

The following day, 12 jurors and 1 bailiff gathered in the deliberation room prior to court. We spent a good deal of time together. We got to know one another, where we lived, how we spent our time, and how we felt about being on the jury. I found myself talking to two women quite a bit. I mentioned to one of them how much I liked the judge, how professional yet friendly she seemed and that she just had something about her that was admirable. She agreed. There was something very appealing about this judge....her countenance, her attitude, something about her was special. I told the bailiff that I really admired our judge. Was she as nice as she seemed? He said yes. She was great and he loved working in her courtroom.

We, the jurors, sat in our courtroom. We heard the case. We maintained our secrecy. We did not discuss the case. We even went to lunch together and shared about our lives, but not the case. All of a sudden this inconvenience of jury duty had become serious business. We admired the judge. We were part of the American justice system. And we could see the importance of what we were doing.

We listened. We paid attention. We watched and evaluated. Some of us prayed. Closing arguments took place and we were dismissed to decide the fate of the people who sat before us.

In the deliberation room, we had rules. The bailiff took all cell phones and all pagers. We were not allowed to leave the room. We could not speak if one of us was not present...the only place we could be is in the small restroom provided to us in the deliberation room. We all went around the table, one by one, giving our opinion and why. We deliberated for a few minutes. We reviewed medical records and police reports...even a social security disability application. We voted. We decided the defendant was not guilty. And it felt good.

We filed back into the courtroom, to the bailiff's booming voice, "All rise for the jury." Had we reached a verdict? "Yes, your honor. We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty." Justice.

Back in the deliberation room we, the jury, meet the winning attorney. We also meet the judge. The beautiful, peaceful, "something about her", judge. She shook our hands. She speaks to us and thanks us. She answers questions about the case that we could not ask during the trial. I am awestruck by her. She is classy. She is intelligent. She is warm. I will vote for her. :)

One of the women on the jury that I befriended asks me to meet her outside if I have time. She has something she would like to tell me. I exit the deliberation room, leaving she and the judge to a private conversation. Then my new friend joins me outside. After speaking to the defendant and his family, we walk to a private area of the parking lot. She tells me that she knows the judge. She knows possibly why I sense something amazing about this woman. My new friend had a cousin who was in an accident. It was a small aircraft accident. There were four people on this plane, one of them was "our" judge. She was in the back seat, behind an almost 18 year old female passenger. The aircraft was in trouble and they knew it. The judge placed her hand on the the shoulder of the young woman in front of her and began to pray the Lord's prayer. The plane went down in a cold lake on a rainy day. Three passengers died. The judge did not. She swam, for 16 hours, she swam. She found a crab trap and hung on. Then she swam some more to another crab trap and hung on. She heard helicopters, but they could not see her. She swam again to yet another crab trap. Finally, the helicopters saw her after nearly 24 hours, she was rescued. Her first and only words to her rescuer, "Am I alive?" She woke up in a hospital days later. A survivor. This was nine years ago.

She now presides over a court room. Her presence is inspiring. Her character shows in her face and not a face of bitterness and pain, but of love and understanding, mercy and grace. I was drawn to her from the minute I met her. Now I know why. Wow.

My day as a juror...

A day that many people dread as inconvenience, myself included, in the past. No longer will I feel that way. My day as juror was one of the most amazing experiences, a day I will always remember. Justice. Grace. Strength. And so inspiring.