The Hungry Jurors at the Jackson Trial

By not allowing lunch breaks during the Michael Jackson trial, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville is acting as if his court is a banana republic where he presides as its petty dictator (“Jackson Judge Has Everyone Running on Empty,” March 19).

I wonder what food he consumes in his chambers during the three 10-minute breaks he allows the jury, court staff, attorneys and others in the courtroom that he has under his thumb.

Equally disturbing is that those affected by his illegal no-lunch order have yet to rebel. No appellate court would uphold his potentially health-threatening order if Melville tried to find in contempt a rebellious juror or other affected person who took off an hour for lunch in contradiction to his order.

Sadly, it seems that many Americans no longer care to fight for their rights as government officials illegally infringe upon them.

Leon M. Salter

Los Angeles

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My heart was bleeding for jurors forced to endure a day in court without a lunch break. That is, until I read further. They finish their day in six hours, and they have three 10-minute breaks.

Six hours? That’s the same duration of time I work every day before I’m allowed to break for my half-hour lunch. In film and television production, that’s the standard, and although snacks are provided, some of us never have time to get the food. The work is so intense that there are many days when I never get a 10-minute break. And after lunch, it’s another six or more hours before I get to go home. Worst of all, the state approves this schedule.

So I can’t muster much sympathy. All I can suggest is that the jurors pack up their apples and tofu and cheese slices and trail mix and celebrate that they can go home and eat as much as they want after their stint is done at 3 p.m. I’ll be working until long after dark.

Suzan Lowitz

Los Angeles