Sanchez Has a New Duty --on a Jury

Rep. Loretta Sanchez walked into Orange County Municipal Court at 7:45 a.m. Monday, pleased to have been called to duty as a juror--so pleased, in fact, her office had put out a news release announcing her appearance.

“I’m sure I could have made a call to get me out of it,” she said as she walked into the jury assembly room, along with the hundreds of other prospective jurors, “but everyone should serve, and if I don’t come and do it, then who will?”

Seven hours later, after having been selected as juror number 12, she seemed as frustrated as many others chosen to judge a peer, in this case Carlos Cuevas Cervantes, 35, on drunk-driving charges.

“What can I do?” Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) said with an edge in her voice as she bought a cup of yogurt from the court cafeteria during a recess. “I didn’t have a choice, I’m sort of stuck.”

She called her office to tell them of the news and a change of plans, in her case to say she couldn’t visit the El Toro Marine base this afternoon.

“The people of Orange County would probably rather have me there rather than do this under-the-influence case,” Sanchez said.

But her business wasn’t pressing enough for Judge Steven Perk to dismiss her from the jury.

“Will anyone have any difficulty sitting with us until Wednesday?” Perk asked.

Sanchez said she has a busy schedule, but nothing that couldn’t be rescheduled.

“Does your employer pay for jury service?” the judge asked.

“It’s the federal government, so I would hope so,” Sanchez answered.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark Ankcorn then brought up the fraud investigation surrounding voters who might have improperly cast ballots in the November election, when Sanchez narrowly defeated incumbent Robert Dornan.

He asked if Sanchez would have a problem knowing that his office was conducting the investigation.

She answered that she was not happy with it, but that she wouldn’t hold it against him.

Having watched the court dismiss 36 other potential jurors, and with only three others remaining in the pool of candidates, Sanchez was seated.

In an interview later, the congresswoman’s frustration showed when she said more politicians don’t serve on juries because “people know other people.”

Sandra Vale, jury services manager for the Municipal Court, took issue with Sanchez.

“They are not treated differently than anyone else,” she said. “They are not excused unless they have a valid reason to be excused.”

The defendant’s attorney, Douglas Coggins, said he actually wanted the congresswomen on the jury.

“It’s surprising how underrepresented Hispanics are in this jury pool,” Coggins said. “Out of the 40 people here, only about four people are Hispanics. She might balance it out. I think that’s important for the perception of fairness.”

At day’s end, Coggins said, “We were very lucky.”

Other prospective jurors seemed pleased that a public official wasn’t exempt from such civic duties.

“Hey if I’m doing it then she should do it too,” said Diane Morgan, a science teacher from Los Alamitos. “If they’re going to pull me out of the classroom, then I think it’s probably a good thing because she’s not any busier than any of us.”

But then Morgan was told she wouldn’t be needed.