Juror Who Vanished After Lunch Is Ordered to Jail

A Buena Park man who disappeared without explanation while serving as a juror was found in contempt of court Tuesday and ordered to spend a weekend in the Orange County Jail.

Superior Court Judge Samuel B. Taylor Jr. rejected the juror’s explanation that he left to pick up a paycheck at lunch and then was caught in traffic, making his return to the courthouse in Santa Ana impossible.

Penalty Reduced

Taylor first ordered Phillip O. Siler Jr., 24, of Buena Park to spend two weekends in jail and then reduced the penalty to one weekend after the errant juror returned to court and apologized, according to county court clerk Gary Granville.

Siler was the fourth juror threatened with jail this year by judges in Orange County for failing to show up for jury duty or returning late from breaks. One man was arrested and jailed in March for failing to show up for jury duty. Officials later discovered he was never formally called, and county lawyers agreed to settle any claims he had for $4,000.

“I have never had anything remotely like this happen to me in 13 years of being a trial judge,” Taylor said in an interview. “Jurors work hard and contribute their time for very little gain to make the justice system work.

“Of the thousands and thousands of jurors I have worked with, I have never even come close to punishing one because I’ve never had cause to before.”

Siler may have misunderstood how the jury system works in Orange County, said Martin J. Moshier, assistant executive officer of the Superior Court.

“I understand the juror was complaining because he had already sat on one case last month. He did sit for three days in that case,” Moshier said. “Our general rule is once you’ve served 10 days, you’re excused.”

However, jurors are called to serve for four consecutive weeks. If they are not selected for a jury on the first day available, they return the same day the next week, until four weeks have passed, Moshier said.

Siler may have thought that because he had served on one jury he had satisfied the requirements, Moshier said.

Siler, who could not be reached for comment, was one of 12 jurors and one alternate hearing the case of a man who claimed he fell down and injured himself because of negligent street maintenance by the City of Placentia.

The case was in the middle of closing arguments by the attorneys when Taylor declared a lunch break last Thursday.

Reached at Home in Afternoon

When Siler was 30 minutes late, Taylor ordered the alternate juror seated. The jurors found for the city in the case. A bailiff reached Siler at his home about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, and he was told to report to the courthouse Friday morning.

When Siler failed to appear Friday, stating he was ill, Taylor delayed his contempt-of-court hearing until Tuesday morning.

Siler’s explanation--or excuse--failed to convince the judge.