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I’m back from my jury duty obligations. I didn’t make it through the voir dire phase of the proceedings where the opposing attorneys and the judge or his representative exclude/select the jury panel and alternates. I was put into a group of 39 persons who were considered for a high profile local murder case. All of us were required to fill out a standard questionnaire which was supposed to examine our beliefs, attitudes and fitness to serve.
I truly expected to be excluded by the defense on the basis of my background as a relatively well educated former teacher, investigator and officer of the court.
I wasn’t surprised however, when the prosecutor wanted to know the nature of my physical disability and medications I was taking. After I answered him completely he informed me “We’re going to do this without you.” and excused me from service for this trial. A couple of hours later when I was being excused completely from jury duty it was obvious nearly everyone in that group had been excluded. Sometimes it takes several days to empanel a jury and this trial isn’t expected to begin until next Tuesday.
One of the clerks stated that due to a new policy that was being implemented it was unlikely that any of us would ever be asked to serve in Allegheny County Courts again.