Van Nuys Judge Orders Marshals to Shanghai 17 Jurors for Trial : Courts: Bystanders are pressed into service when the jury pool runs out. The step is taken to avoid dismissing assault charges against a man charged with throwing beer on a Dodger Stadium guard.

One man was standing outside a bank.

Another had just finished applying for a business license.

Others were on their way home from work after a long week.

A total of 17 people who were innocently going about their business were hauled into Van Nuys Municipal Court on Friday evening by county marshals acting under the orders of Municipal Judge Kenneth Lee Chotiner.

Chotiner had invoked an 1872 law that allows judges to press citizens into jury service “forthwith” to meet the obligations of the court.

The judge took the unusual step so he would not have to dismiss an assault case against a 35-year-old Murrieta man after the jury pool ran dry Friday afternoon at the Van Nuys Courthouse.

The defendant, Steve Dean Beaudry, insisted on his right to a speedy trial on a charge of throwing beer on a Dodger Stadium security guard Aug. 19.

He refused to accept having his trial postponed until Monday when a new batch of jurors would arrive at the courthouse.

Faced with dismissing the charge against Beaudry unless the trial could begin, Chotiner ordered the marshals to take to the streets and round up citizens to act as prospective jurors.

The marshals brought 17 people into the court between 5 and 7 p.m., and those who met residency, citizenship and age requirements were impaneled as potential jurors immediately.

Many of those who were pressed into service initially thought that the posse was pulling an early Halloween prank.

Others seemed angry that their days had been so surprisingly interrupted.

Their tempers did not cool when they were informed that they were required to return to court Monday for further selection procedures.