Not much has changed in the past few days. Lots of the same stuff on the TV. I have to say this… Dan Rather has impressed me these past few days. I REALLY enjoyed watching him during election night 2000. You never know what he is gonna say. Plus he brings experience from things like the Kennedy Assassination… He has seen quite a bit.
I don’t remember mentioning it… But I had Jury Duty Monday through Wednesday. I got selected for a Criminal case in Tazwell County. We deliberated for 2 days!
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The case involved a Baby Sitter and a parent getting in a scuffle, with a 6 month old kid present.
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Charges included: Battery, Child Endangerment and Resisting Arrest.
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Lucky Me… I was chosen to be Foreman! I did NOT ask for it!!!!! Trust me! Especially after 2 days on the case, I would have handed off the responsibility. I felt like a dealmaker between the Jurors most of the time!
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Anyway, we really worked hard on the battery charge. In the end, we agreed to a “Not Guilty” verdict.
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The Child Endangerment charge was one of the hardest for me! If you try to physically stop someone from taking your kid… You are voluntarily placing that child in a potentially harmful situation… So you are automatically guilty of the charge. What kind of crap is that? Almost all the guys in the jury agreed they would do the same thing. Who would let their kid get taken, and call the cops? The charge has to be “Guilty”
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The defendant admitted to resisting arrest. So that was easy. “Guilty”
One interesting thing. Tuesday morning, I got to see most of the World Trade Center Tragedy. I still feel like it was odd for me to be off those few days, and just happen to see all of this unfold.
The TV antennae was broken in the jury selection room… And I volunteered to fix it when the County Commissioner asked for help. I think this is how I got to be the Foreman… I was called the “TV Repairman” by my peers for the first day.
Chain Mails: I know this is a time of GREAT SADNESS!!!! So I will be easy on all of you… If you get a piece of mail that has been sent to a dozen people… The chances are… I have already seen it! I live on the Internet at work and get about 100 emails a day between Personal, and Work. I realize that many of you check Email once a day, and think this stuff is newsworthy. I got the “America, Good Neighbor” 5 times today! Lets just try to think before we send this stuff off. Send me your thoughts and feeling. Don sent one the other night, and it said more to me than what some Canadian Newspaper Reporter could.
I re-hung the flagpole on the front of the house. I am really surprised at the lack of “Old Glories” when I am heading home. I noticed 2 or 3 brand new flags, and that was it. I am about ready to line the front porch with bunting, and a second flag! C’mon People! I know you all have 3 to 6 hundred dollars to spare! I have always made a point to have a flag. I am not sure why. But I have always felt like a house is not a Home, till you have one hanging out front. (Where did that come from? I don’t think we ever had them when I was growing up.)