| Home | Federal Jury Duty | Contents |
| Date | Resolution |
| Jul 30 | Postponed to Aug 6. |
| Aug 05 | I picked up Chicken McNuggets and left at 1:00. I set the cruise control for 62 and rolled comfortably all the way to Easton. A few miles north of Easton, all the way to the 301 join it was bumper-to-bumper brake lights. Once we were past that signal, it opened up. At 1445 I was on the bridge. The GPS, which I had reviewed before leaving, was flawless. Hopkins Bar & Grill opened at 5 for dinner. Erin served me a rather nice fish & chips for dinner. Whereas I took my own beverage, I over-tipped. |
| Aug 06 |
Breakfast was two scrambled, patty sausage and rye toast.
I brought my own Rooibos tea. By 0830, there are about 50 of us in the jury assembly room. We watched a brief orientation film and were then told there was one, criminal, trial seating a jury today. Lyd and I had debated whether or not I should wear a tie and we decided against it. It turned out I'm the only man wearing a jacket; a few are in shorts. 0945: the representative of Judge Bennett, Pete Thompson, took roll, by juror number and attempted to pronounce our names. We then proceeded, in numerical order, to courtroom 5D. At 1030, Judge Richard Bennett began to voir dier the jury in the case of Robert Hubbard, a convicted felon charged with possession of ammunition and with possession of heroin with intent to sell. At 1230, the voir dier was completed and the attorneys and judge went behind "white noise" to determine the jury. At 1250, I became Juror #11. After an hour's lunch break, we had opening statements and the first witness, Detective Fried. We finished just before 1600 as the judge had another engagement. |
| Aug 07 |
At 0930, we reconvened and the cross examination of Detective Fried continued.
Two other officers also testified.
Following lunch, both the Government and Defense both rested.
The judge gave us our instructions and we began deliberations. Count 1 accused the defendant of possession of ammunition by a felon previously convicted and incarcerated for more than one year. We found him to be guilty. We elected to suspend our deliberations and to return in the morning. I had a burger with no bun in the hotel dining room, Hopkins Bar and Grill. |
| Aug 08 | At 0930, we resumed deliberation of Count 2, which we had begun the previous afternoon. This 2nd count charged the defendant with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Although most of us felt he was a dealer, the government failed to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that this was the case. We found him "Not Guilty." Judge Richard Bennett met with the jury after adjourning. He told us that, had we convicted on Count 2, he would have struck the count, as the evidence for intent to distribute was not sufficient. The judge, who strongly resembles President George Bush, thanked us and dismissed us shortly before noon. |
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