"Pantywaists unite! Freedom from wage-slavery, and civic duty!"
Posted on 04/25/2003 6:36:04 PM PDT by FourPeas
Jail term won't alter juror's defiant attitude Friday, April 25, 2003By Barton Deiters and Doug Guthrie
Every day, defendants leave the downtown court building to head to jail, but Thursday, it was a juror who went to the county lockup. Brian Scott Lett, a 23-year-old Alto resident who failed to show up for jury duty earlier this month, was hauled before Kent County Circuit Judge Donald Johnston Thursday and found in contempt of court. Lett was handcuffed and taken to Kent County Jail, where he remains today. Lett failed to show up for three consecutive days of jury duty starting April 7, then left an obscenity-laced response on the court's answering machine, using the F-word to indicate that he had no intention of serving on a jury. Johnston said when Lett came to court Thursday, he was abrasive and unrepentant. "Basically, he said he was too busy to be bothered with jury duty, and he just had a terrible attitude," said Johnston, who said this was the first time he could remember locking up a potential juror for contempt in his 24 years on the bench. "This was the most egregious example of the complete reverse of a sense of civic responsibility." Johnston said the three-day sentence is largely symbolic -- he could have sentenced Lett to 30 days -- but he hopes the Lowell High School graduate gets the message after his anger passes. But at least as of Thursday night, Lett had not cooled down. "I brought money expecting to pay a fine. I never thought I'd end up in jail," Lett said from jail. "It's unfair that they are locking someone up and keeping them from their work because the judge had a bad day." He said he could not show up because he had no car and it would have cost him $40 to take a cab. He also had to care for his 1-year-old daughter and did not want to miss time at his maintenance job. Lett's name was called, along with about 100 other Kent County residents, to report for duty at the Kent County Courthouse April 7-9. When jurors fail to show up for court-appointed duty and court workers cannot reach them by phone to discover the reason for their absence, an order is issued for them to appear before a judge. The judge then is the one asking the questions at a show-cause hearing. "Typically, the judge makes arrangements at the show cause for the person to serve and it's over," Circuit Court Administrator Kim Foster said. "There may be a fine here and there, but jail time is rare." Johnston said he has chewed people out from the bench who did not show up and also given out fines. Lett responded to written and telephone inquiries with two calls to the court, according to Circuit Court Jury Clerk Gail VanTimmeren. Lett originally responded by leaving an obscenity-laced message on VanTimmeren's voice-mail. "We are willing to consider some reasonable requests for exclusion from jury duty, but we don't consider, '(Expletive) jury duty, bitch,' a statement we can work with," VanTimmeren said. "We always try to be very solicitous," VanTimmeren added. "His responses were rather nasty. He was reached at his job and he said, 'I'm not coming in.'" Lett claims he had no idea that his statement was being taped and he did not mean to direct the comment at anyone in particular. VanTimmeren, who has served as jury clerk for eight years, said most people are hesitant about jury service at first. "I've had so many tell me there weren't interested in duty until they did it," she said. "At the very least, they say it was interesting. They get a taste of government they haven't had since high school civics class. There's usually a sense of pride when they finish." Johnston said he hoped Lett would learn the importance of jury duty -- a civic responsibility people have fought and died for. "I hope next time he is called, he'll show up 15 minutes early," he said. But Lett is not making the honor roll in this particular civics lesson. He said he would refuse to eat the "nasty" food in jail while he is there through Saturday. He also said he had no intention of serving on a jury. "Next time, I'm going to tell them I'm a racist mother------ and get out of it that way," Lett said.
The Grand Rapids Press
"Typically, the judge makes arrangements at the show cause for the person to serve and it's over, " Circuit Court Administrator Kim Foster said. "There may be a fine here and there, but jail time is rare."
Johnston said when Lett came to court Thursday, he was abrasive and unrepentant.
"Basically, he said he was too busy to be bothered with jury duty, and he just had a terrible attitude," said Johnston, who said this was the first time he could remember locking up a potential juror for contempt in his 24 years on the bench. "This was the most egregious example of the complete reverse of a sense of civic responsibility."
You have been all over this thread saying this guy was jailed for not serving jury duty, or, as you put it, not submitting to slavery. That is not correct. He was jailed for contempt.
In addition, this is the first time this judge has jailed a potential juror, but I guarantee you it is not the first time one has appeared before him.
You are not operating on the facts as stated, but rather from an emotional standpoint.
This is not a good basis for being a successful lawyer.
IMHO
Becki
Oh, by the way, I did have a valid, health related excuse to be excused and wasn't until I threatened that I wouldn't 't show up anyway!
And what is it with those Church Ladies and the Sanctimonious Fools around here that they have to condemn the rest of us to hell for exhibiting a bit of common sense and world weary wisdom about the ways of this world?
In big cities, most people ignore their jury summons, and it's not because they're Communists, and all this pious moralizing on Free Republic won't change that one bit! People are voting with their feet on the state of the justice system, which they feel powerless to affect or change! A fine mess!
(Sorry, nothing exists in a vacumm!)
That and mentioning my belief in jury nullifiaction has kept me from being called. However, I have spent time in a jury room before I was independent, and hope to someday do it again.
Did anyone ever accuse him of being successful, though? ;)
Is this a trick question?
My wife gets out of jury duty all the time. He sounds like another spoiled lefty.
My goodness I feel like I am on some Liberal board with a bunch of candy as*ses who don't understand the mandatory duty of serving on a jury.
Don't your dumb SOB's ever complain of McDonalds having to pay for spilled coffee, don't you ever complain that the Justice Dept isn't doing their job regardless of who the President may be, in fact don't you EVER complain about anything because your too stupid to have a worthwhile opinion on subjects that concern responsibilty, ethics or love of country.
It's interesting that a legal system works so well with ordinary folks just showing up and deciding who's right and wrong.
"I hope next time he is called, he'll show up 15 minutes early," he said.
But Lett is not making the honor roll in this particular civics lesson. He said he would refuse to eat the "nasty" food in jail while he is there through Saturday.
He also said he had no intention of serving on a jury.
"Next time, I'm going to tell them I'm a racist mother------ and get out of it that way," Lett said.
It is so wrong. It's just so, so very wrong, but I like this guy.
And where is it written that we are enslaved to an utterly corrupt, exploited jury duty?
Our ancestors did not fight and die for freedom, that I should be exploited as part of a shameless fraud to enrich an unregulated, out of control lawyer industry. It is the lawyers and their courthouse mini tyrants who spit on our liberties and defecate on the Constitution, not me.
I was excused from Jury Duty twice before I even had to show up...and then was excused because I had worked for a lawfirm.
Here in Texas, there is a form right on the back of your summons. If you experience a hardship in the care of dependent children, work, health, etc., you simply fill out the back of the summons and send it in. No jury duty.
Since my husband and I work opposite hours so that our children are raised by their parents only, and since the nearest relatives are several hundred miles away, our babies would not have a primary caregiver during the typical business day. Check, check...no jury duty.
If he had used any portion of his brain before engaging his foul mouth, it would have been a simple process to avoid "hardship." It doesn't cost a dime to be decent to people...just good breeding. God, I can't wait to retire and actually serve on a jury for once. My father has served on two of them and found the process fascinating both times (although he never revealed the details of the cases).
That's a BS statement.
Sure you have a "duty" to serve on a jury, but his acting like an a**hole got him what he deserved. I was called for jury duty and once ther found out it would be a six month trial in a murder case. I talked to the judge like a rational human being and explained there was no way I could miss that much work, keep my job, keep my house, etc. and his only words were, "excused."
And since moving to San Jose, California, I've gotten my fourth summons - I'm on call the week of May 12 now - but have yet to serve on a trial. The most recent one involved a drug charge (as well as a battery charge), and I explained to the judge about the concepts of "reserved rights" and the juror's duty to act as the conscience of the court and refuse to convict on unconstitutional laws such as those regulating what a soverign citizen may or may not ingest, and I was promptly excused.
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