Missing jury duty draws judge's ire

Washington Times ^ | 9/08/01 | Arlo Wagner

[kattracks]

More than 40 D.C. citizens could be jailed this weekend because they haven't shown up for jury duty since July and, to make matters worse, were absent from court yesterday to explain why to D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Rufus King III.

[riley1992]

Before the judge took the bench, many in the courtroom giggled nervously as a marshal walked the length of the courtroom with a dozen handcuffs dangling from a chain in his hand.

"When you don't appear, you are disobeying a court order," Judge King told 28 persons who had ignored their summons for jury duty but did obey the judge's final summons yesterday to appear and redeem themselves.

This guy sounds like a cross between Barney Fife and Colonel Klink. Compulsory jury duty is wrong.

[Fury]

This article does not make sense. Where else can folks get paid to ignore the evidence and laws and practice jury nullification? I'd think they would have too many people wanting to be performing jury duty...