Not a Pauly Shore movie

So the jury I might be on is actually a murder trial. There were 300 or so people in the auditorium we were to meet in in downtown Hillsboro Friday morning at 8, and on my way from the parking garage I started chatting with a girl who ended up working for First Tech Credit Union and knew a lot of the same people I knew. So that was nice, not having to do it all alone. Anyway, we checked in, and then the judge spoke to us (and he was pretty funny too, in a dry sort of way), and basically told us there is pretty much nothing you can say that will get me to excuse you. Any excuse for work would have to be pretty unique. After reading the indictment to us, which caught my attention anyway, he explained the process and about how being a juror was our duty as citizens and all that. Then he read a list of people (long list, 3 legal pages long) who were related in some way to the case. You were supposed to raise your hand if you knew a name, give your own name and your juror number, and how you knew the person. Then the judge asked if he thought you knowing this person would alter your judgement in the case, and if you said yes, I assume you would be excused. But nobody said yes. For as much grumbling as was going on in that room before the judge gave his shpeil, you would have thought someone would have said, Yeah, my knowing J.D. will make it very hard to serve on this jury. But I guess he had us convinced.

Next the bailiffs swore us all in, and then handed out this 36 page questionaire, about 250 questions. Question #2 was "name your siblings and their occupations". Fabulous. The average I am quite sure in that room were like 2 or 3 max. I have NINE. Plus I had to remember how old and what amount of education and what they actually do for a living. I glanced over at my new friend a little later and saw she was on page 29 - I was on page 12. Hung up by the family ONCE AGAIN. I have to laugh at the symbolism of it all.

Anyway the questionaire asked all manner of questions, like have you ever had any bad experiences with law enforcement (yes) and please describe (when I was 15 somebody climbed in to the window of my house while I was home alone and it took the Beaverton Police 4 hours to show up) and do you ever watch crime shows on TV (yes) and how often (nightly). The death penalty could be a result of this trial, as there are counts for both murder and aggravated murder, but isn't that the juror's decision? Yikes. When the questionaire was finished, you turned it in, and then I have to call back on Monday after 4 to find out when they need me next. In theory, free for the rest of the day! But no. I went to work. And it was hellish. HELLISH. But I made it through and actually got home from my last signing at around 8 so it could have been a lot worse. Next week won't be so bad.

But this trial thing may take 5-6 weeks, and if that is the case, um, we might have a problem. I guess I won't panic until I know I am chosen.