Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

But what about the bad government-issued lighting? The cramped elbow-leg space that makes a 747 look like the lap of luxury? And for justice’s sake, must there really be a TV-watching policy?

Yes, Los Angeles County court officials are revamping jury duty next year, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be Club Med, and no, we don’t know if the criminal courts assembly room will lift its ban on the “Jerry Springer Show” (too many jurors allegedly getting into fights over the program). But under the new system, most jurors will report for one day only, unless selected for a trial.

So in our holiday season nostalgia, we asked readers to give us their best or worst jury experiences. And we found bored jurors, frustrated jurors, romantic jurors, shake-their-groove-thing jurors and more:

It’s been five years now, but it doesn’t seem like it, and who would have ever guessed what a change it would make in our lives?

There I was sitting with all those people you usually only see when you’re renewing your license at the DMV. The majority of us were sitting there pondering, “How can I get out of this?” When the judge told me I had to stay, even though I wasn’t paid by my employer, I resigned myself to making the best of it.

Then it happened. This fascinating woman was so enthusiastic about being selected for the panel that it sparked an interest not only in the proceedings, but I had to get to know this woman better.

The case only lasted six days but we took advantage of every break and recess to get to know each other, and we were married the next year.

--John L. Goodman, Costa Mesa

*

After several weeks of on-call service at the Rio Hondo Courthouse in El Monte, I had finally reached that magical 10th day of service. Excused from my third jury because I have daily contact with a number of law enforcement types, I headed over to the jury clerk, who was about to leave.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Yes, please release me, I’ve done my 10 days,” I reply.

“Return tomorrow at 11.”

“But it’s been 10 days. I’m done.”

“We can keep you longer if we want to.” With that, she picked up her purse and left.

At 11 the next morning, she promptly released me.

--Darryl Musick, Duarte

*

The first vote was 11 to 1. The holdout juror declined to explain his position. We worked all day and into the evening, trying to turn him around.

Transported in buses to the Biltmore downtown, we shared a miserable dinner and were sequestered for the night. First thing the next morning, the juror capitulated, laughingly telling us he had never stayed in a hotel and so grabbed at this opportunity.

The foreman reported it to the judge, who responded with the same fury that we felt. The judge publicly castigated the juror and fined him one-half the cost of dinners and rooms for the whole jury.

--Eleanor Weaver,

Hermosa Beach

*

Summons (yeck). Jury service (sigh). Four lawyers fighting (yawn). A legal malpractice case (hmmm). From panel to jury box (OK). Two weeks of real estate testimony (fascinating). First comment in jury room from fellow juror: “What’s a mortgage?” (Oh, no!)

--Carol Lang, Norwalk

*

March 1995. The O.J. (Simpson) trial emanating from both televisions in the jury room at the county courthouse in Long Beach.

It was my first and only jury service experience. I was recovering from a devastating divorce, reading Dr. Laura’s book about the stupid things women do to mess up their lives.

A charming young man, a fellow juror, sat down next to me and asked me slyly if he was in the book. I said, “Probably” . . . but he wasn’t, and we’ve been together ever since.

--Cherylanne Sharp,

Long Beach

*

My best jury experience was in the Malibu court. The defendant was convicted, his attorney disbarred, and the foreman was dismissed before the end of the trial. . . .

The defendant’s attorney returned to a better line of employment as a stand-up comedian. . . . When the verdict of guilty was read, the defendant and his attorney broke into tears and sobbed loudly. The jurors were invited into chambers where the seasoned judge told us that he had never seen such outrageous behavior--or trial!

--Mary Sage, Los Angeles

*

I found a comfortable chair in the Norwalk Superior Court assembly room and settled down to read.

Over a 12-day period, I made many new friends. On Thursdays, a line dance instructor arrived at lunch time, and we got some exercise. . . . Yes, I got onto a jury. It was a civil case, and we took our job seriously. Afterward, the judge invited us into his chambers, where he thanked us and encouraged us to ask questions about court procedures.

Jury duty is the American way, and we took pride in it.

--Betty-Lee Campbell, Whittier

*

It was my first week as a juror in a criminal trial downtown.

I didn’t know the other jurors yet; I was young and shy, and spent my breaks alone with a book. After a morning recess, a disturbing-looking man followed me upstairs in the elevator and started talking to me incoherently in the hallway.

Suddenly, a group of my fellow jurors appeared, surrounding me protectively. “We’re about ready to go in,” said one. “Why don’t you come with us?”

From that point on, I was among friends: a diverse group of thoughtful people I wouldn’t have met anywhere else.

--Lisa Blackburn,

South Pasadena

*

When I was in my early 30s, I had my worst jury experience. I capitulated under pressure from other jurors to change my vote. After finding the defendant guilty of armed robbery, we had a problem determining whether it was first- or second-degree. As it got closer to dinner time, jurors started to change their vote for a variety of reasons, none of which had anything to do with this trial.

At 4:30 p.m., we had a hung jury, 11-1. I was the one who held out for first-degree. After the foreman read off the verdict, the judge asked us to go back and reconsider. Two hours later, we reentered the courtroom. The foreman read the verdict: “Guilty in the second degree.”

Upon hearing the verdict, [the judge] yelled out, “My God, I don’t believe it. How did you ever come up with second degree? Oh well, you’re the jury.”

Since that time I have served on 12 other juries. Never again would I be intimidated to change my vote.

--Benny Wasserman, La Palma

*

There was no jury room. We sat on hard benches in the hall when we weren’t in the courtroom.

The case was very clear. A young man driving a car had an alcohol level three times above the legal limit. He hit another vehicle. There was injury to the passengers in the other car, and the pregnant woman in his car lost her baby as a result. Three members of our jury refused to find him guilty.

Reason: He was a “young boy,” and they didn’t want him convicted. We finally gave up, and it was declared a mistrial. It was outrageous!

--Evie Malarowitz, West Hills

*

The worst jury duty experience also happens to be one of my most embarrassing experiences. I was sitting on a case and had developed bronchitis. Several times during the day I would have coughing fits that I was unable to get under control. During the questioning of a witness, I began coughing. I could feel my face getting red, and breathing was becoming harder as I tried to control myself.

Suddenly, I felt something fall into my lap. The judge had stopped the trial and was throwing cough drops at me from the bench.

--Adrienne Ferguson, Glendora

*

Soon after graduation I was called to jury duty.

Traffic court, an illegal left-hand turn and the defendant defended himself ably.

The judge told us he had already overturned the decision of a previous panel who found for the defendant. He literally told us the verdict he expected us to deliver!

Not a political science major, I was too green to question this travesty and went along with 11 “older, wiser” jurors in voting to please the judge. Years later I cheered when that judge was deemed unqualified and removed from the bench! What worse harm had he done?

--L. Morris, Santa Monica

*

I have served on a jury three times and was foreperson twice.

A memorable time was at the end of our deliberations at a trial in Pasadena. A fellow juror suggested we all hold hands, close our eyes, and think about the decision we just made.

We did this, and then we felt at peace with our decision, which was “guilty.”

--Florita Linett, Pasadena

*

From early November until late December, my Santa Monica jury pool was on daily call. Big case, lots of questions and legitimate deferments. . . .

One strange day, so many had been excused, an emergency batch of potential jurors had to be shipped over from Van Nuys. Obvious excuses over, we potentials were issued a 90-plus-item questionnaire so contrived [it was difficult to complete]. I was so confused, I answered the question, “Do you understand English?” with a “No.”

But . . . social chitchat in the jury room, nice ladies to enjoy lunch with. . . . We shared phone numbers, support for the one chosen juror, visited the courtroom, and have had a delightful reunion dinner.

--Marty Rauch, Los Angeles