Jury Duty in 2007.

This past week, I spent three days in Van Nuys waiting to be chosen for a criminal trial jury.  Yesterday, the prosecutor thanked and excused me.

And, more than in my previous times of being called for jury service, I noticed a marked increase in "Hell no, I won't serve!" behavior from my fellow jury candidates.

Two of my favorite would-be jurors who were excused: 1. The television producer who griped about how this would impact his business and that--if chosen--he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about his work. and 2. The twentysomething woman who, sitting two seats away from me in the audience, played a videogame on her Verizon Chocolate cell phone.  The baliff finally came and ordered her to turn the phone off or lose it.  The woman later used her Chocolate in the elevator to complain to a friend about how nothing's going on and, by inference, how bored she was.  It was SUCH an injustice to be told to pay attention.....