Juror #32: He Takes The Pot
During the juror selection process yesterday I had to answer some questions in open court. Actually, they gave us the option of talking to the judge and lawyers in a sidebar. (I don't know if you can be in a sidebar, but you know what I mean.) I didn't want to do that, because it's time-consuming and I didn't think I really needed the privacy.
Me: "I have to answer yes to questions 8, 11, and 13. I have a friend who's a lawyer, I..."
Here's where I realized I had made a mistake.
"... I think..."
Face turns bright red.
"... marijuana laws should be revised."
Stifled laughter from two or three fellow jurors.
Me: "And I have had contact with gang members in my neighborhood."
Judge: "Are any of those issues going to keep you from being a fair and impartial juror?"
Me: "No."
Judge: "Thank you, Juror 32."
Ugh. Okay. So I'm glad I said it in open court, actually. Because earlier the judge had asked me, after I told him that I was a premed student, if I was still planning on going to medical school. When I told him I had been accepted for the fall term, there was a clear response of approval from the other jurors and the judge congratulated me. From that point on, any time we took a break other jurors (who had previously ignored me) would smile and nod in an overly-familiar way. One guy started talking to me about how great it was that I was going to be a doctor and how much I'd like Philadelphia.
I think a big part of the reason I hesitated to state my opinion about the legalization of pot was that I didn't want to be labeled a drug user by people I don't know. But I didn't have a problem with being labeled as smart and ambitious and accomplished, so it would have been wrong for me not to reveal my feelings on an issue that I really think is not such a big deal just because it would make me look bad.
Still, it was embarrassing.
And clearly they didn't care about my feelings about marijuana, because I was picked for the jury.
Me: "I have to answer yes to questions 8, 11, and 13. I have a friend who's a lawyer, I..."
Here's where I realized I had made a mistake.
"... I think..."
Face turns bright red.
"... marijuana laws should be revised."
Stifled laughter from two or three fellow jurors.
Me: "And I have had contact with gang members in my neighborhood."
Judge: "Are any of those issues going to keep you from being a fair and impartial juror?"
Me: "No."
Judge: "Thank you, Juror 32."
Ugh. Okay. So I'm glad I said it in open court, actually. Because earlier the judge had asked me, after I told him that I was a premed student, if I was still planning on going to medical school. When I told him I had been accepted for the fall term, there was a clear response of approval from the other jurors and the judge congratulated me. From that point on, any time we took a break other jurors (who had previously ignored me) would smile and nod in an overly-familiar way. One guy started talking to me about how great it was that I was going to be a doctor and how much I'd like Philadelphia.
I think a big part of the reason I hesitated to state my opinion about the legalization of pot was that I didn't want to be labeled a drug user by people I don't know. But I didn't have a problem with being labeled as smart and ambitious and accomplished, so it would have been wrong for me not to reveal my feelings on an issue that I really think is not such a big deal just because it would make me look bad.
Still, it was embarrassing.
And clearly they didn't care about my feelings about marijuana, because I was picked for the jury.
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