Sleepy Justice: Finally Rests

We were a decisive bunch.

The trial officially started on Thursday, we heard witnesses, saw charts and went into deliberations today. It took us a grand total of an hour to all agree; and so justice was served.

The trial was for a DUI, being prosecuted and defended by three incredibly inexperienced lawyers. The defendant was obviously not well off financially, which is why he had court appointed public attorneys. In my mind, the facts that were presented would have convicted him regardless, but his attorneys' inexperience did him a disservice. When your defense attorney argues your innocence by saying the entire burden is on the prosecution, and she could just sleep through the trial--it should make you worry a little. I do not think defense attorneys get rich by promising to nap through trials.

This being my first time on a jury and seeing first hand how things worked, made me truly wonder about our justice system. Actually, I have been thinking about the system and how it works the entire time I wasn't either in the jury box or reading. I'm not too familiar with how justice is applied in other countries, and am willing to believe ours is one of the better systems out there--but I also think there is a great deal to be desired. I say this, not because of obvious failures like the OJ Simposons of the world, but because of the many nameless and faceless cases that come and go through our justice system, but never get justice.

I'll have to continue this and a bunch of other thoughts later this weekend--after I address Laundry Mountain, Cooking 101 and possibly boogie boarding (yay!). But for now, I'm glad I put aside my personal feelings and memories for long enough to make a decision that I'm pretty comfortable with--despite the impact it had on a man's life.