Can you tell us how it was decided?

Ha. Long cross post. Yup.

OK, that's the bulk of the case. I'm sure I missed some details. Thankfully I kept my notes, and the vote tallies that I recorded.

On the whole, it was a good experience. I understand why everyone wants to ditch jury duty. Especially if work doesn't pay for it, or dings you vacation or sick days or something. But I found it very interesting. Of course, I do watch a lot of procedural tv shows, and grew up reading murder mystery novels. So, YRMV.

Fascinating. Sounds like you were crucial in getting a decision out of that jury. Good job, you!

We kinda laughed that a plunger is a deadly weapon

What, were there no Doctor Who fans in the room?

What, were there no Doctor Who fans in the room?

unless you mean the Daleks?

[link]

Totally fascinating, omnis. I did jury duty last year and found it hard, and weighty, and emotionally intense, especially the deliberations (everyone at once bone-naked truthful and totally anonymous and having to trust both your own and everyone else's thought process), and you describe all of that so vividly.

It's eerie, and moving, how deeply seriously everyone takes it all once it starts; we all roll our eyes at the the prospect of getting stuck with jury duty but the reality - the gravity of your discussion and your choices being the deciding factors in the course of a total stranger's life - is slightly terrifying.

Fascinating, and upsetting. Jury duty really is an important responsibility. And tough.

Also, as an aside as M, I am glad I never allowed the boys to get physical with each other in fights. The boys will be boys thing is complete crap to me, and I heard it way too often. No, violence is never acceptable. A great number of 'friends' have suggested that what boys need is to be pummeled by dad on occasion too. Um NO, not ever under any circumstances. Way too many people seem to think that violence is somehow normal behavior, and I just don't get or accept that.

Often sitting alone in the extreme pacifist corner. And somehow my bestie is a HUGE boxing fan. I keep trying to explain to her that my issue is that they hit each other. We go out for drinks at the sports bar on Friday night and sit with her facing the boxing screen and me facing baseball or something. We accept that we will never understand each other. But we won't fight about it!!!

Way too many people seem to think that violence is somehow normal behavior, and I just don't get or accept that.

For way too many people, violence IS normal behavior. Someone grows up with it, it's normal, and they see people who avoid it as being weak. I know a bunch of people like that, including most of my family. One of the many reasons I left and never went back. I'm over here in the pacifist corner with you, Laura.

Nice to know Laura. my sisters and I were not allowed to hit each other Hitting was one of the worst crimes in my family ( lying might have been worse) No matter what the provocation, physical violence was not tolerated. It got the most severe punishments. I know some kids that were encouraged to fight it out.