Jail term won't alter juror's defiant attitude [amazing stupidity]

Grand Rapids Press ^ | Friday, April 25, 2003 | Barton Deiters and Doug Guthrie

[FourPeas]

Jail term won't alter juror's defiant attitude

Friday, April 25, 2003By Barton Deiters and Doug Guthrie
The Grand Rapids Press

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.

[Steel Wolf]

I'm not saying that this guy should have had to pull jury duty. Obviously, he should and could have been exempted. They weren't asking him to kowtow before the judge and beg for mercy. If he could have mustered 2 minutes of self control, he wouldn't be in jail.

Like the example I stated earlier about the cop; just because you are in the right doesn't mean you can curse out the law enforcement/judiciary for bothering you. No one asked him to kneel and kiss their pinky ring, they were just doing their jobs in a straightforward, professional manner. He reacted like he was speaking to someone at the bar who spilled beer on him on purpose.

If a cop pulls someone over for a traffic violation they don't think they did, do you think that they should be able to tell him to screw off and drive away? Would that make this a better country?

[Scenic Sounds]

I think the judge was right. There are legitimate excuses from jury duty. A jury trial is one of the corner stones of our legal system.

Of course the judge was right.

Since the end of the draft, I think jury service is the only time that our government demands a citizen's personal services. But, for some people even that is apparently too much to ask.

[B-Chan]

Brian Scott Lett is not the shiniest penny in the mint. But this poor shlub he has no car, takes a cab, has to care for his 1-year-old daughter, and cannot afford to miss time at his maintenance job.

All this guy had to do was call the Clerk of the Court and explain his situation. Arrangements would almost certainly have been made. This person strikes me as an insecure smartass, hypersensitive about any perceived injury to his precious "rights" -- the kind of pinched-faced loser who installs a remote-switched headlamp on the back of his pickup truck to "teach tailgaters to stay offa mah aiyuss."

Persons of that sort are the inevitable product of a culture that worships Liberty instead of Duty.

[jimtorr]

So, I guess you are unfamiliar with the jury system. One of the first questions asked is if there is any reason that you should be excused.

Citizen Juries are the cornerstone of the American Justice System. Without Citizen Juries we become French.

Jury duty is not voluntary. It is an obligation that all citizens have, just because they are citizens. Every jury in the land is composed of citizens who were called on to do their duty to justice.

What is your problem?

[friendly]

Juries are treated like dirt, lead and molded in their opinion by corrupt judges and lawyers, and grossly overused. The lawyer industry has flooded the courts with fake civil cases, only to make vast fortunes for the shysters. The courts have failed and jury duty has a lot to do with this.

Do you really think that a carefully crafted group of trailer trash and urban welfare morons should decide the complexities of a bogus multi-billion class action suit, where the plaintiff lawyers make vast fortunes and the alleged plaintiffs get worthless coupons?

And the final summary of modern juries: "OJ"

[tiamat]

AND you get free donuts!

Well... here anyway!

MMMmmmmm.......donuts! Aaaaaaaghhhhhhhh!

Tia

[Henrietta]

"What is your problem?"

Probably that for many people, myself included, the idea of being asked to show up and sit around all day while the trial lawyers try to find the "right" mix of people is an insult. I would gladly serve on a jury if I knew that there would be no "voir dire" to exclude jurors with an iota of common sense.

I shredded my last jury summons, and never heard from the court. They can't prove that you got it unless they sent it registered mail. Mail theft is a big problem in some cities, you know.

[friendly]

Probably that for many people, myself included, the idea of being asked to show up and sit around all day while the trial lawyers try to find the "right" mix of people is an insult. I would gladly serve on a jury if I knew that there would be no "voir dire" to exclude jurors with an iota of common sense.

Finally, someone with common sense! Thank you Henrietta.

[Quix]

GOOD FOR THE JUDGE.

The joker's attitude is like

her unroyal lowness,
her hideous heinous--
Bwitch Shrillery--who
wouldn't stoop to such a little people duty.

Jury duty is almost a sacred honor in our system of government and justice. His attitude and behavior are inexcusable.

He should have thought of his year old daughter before acting out and mouthing off. He sounds like an accident waiting to happen anyway.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"If he could have mustered 2 minutes of self control, he wouldn't be in jail."

You mean, if he could have mustered 8 hours of time away from his productive job supporting his family, to tell a "civil servant" judge what he needed to hear to compensate for the judge's own self esteem deficiencies (in comparison to his competent law school colleagues who are earning triple his salary, voluntarily paid), he wouldn't have been sentenced by that judge?

[Atlas Sneezed]

"Since the end of the draft, I think jury service is the only time that our government demands a citizen's personal services. But, for some people even that is apparently too much to ask."

Please explain the moral distinction between the draft, jury "duty" and slavery. (Other than who is the slavemaster.)

[Atlas Sneezed]

"All this guy had to do was call the Clerk of the Court and explain his situation. Arrangements would almost certainly have been made."

Kunta Kinte did fine when he played up to the "Massa" as well!

Suck up to your local tyrants! It's the American Way!(R)

[Atlas Sneezed]

How is a "Citizen Jury"(R) incompatible with voluntary service?

[Atlas Sneezed]

I shredded my last jury summons, too! Since they didn't send it by registered mail (the lazy, cheap bastards!), they can't prove I received it!

(I don't have a contempt for society, I have a contempt for government!)

[Scenic Sounds]

Please explain the moral distinction between the draft, jury "duty" and slavery. (Other than who is the slavemaster.)

I've served as a juror, but I wasn't drafted and I've never been a slave so I can't personally help you much with the differences. However, I suspect that if you ever do get a chance to ask a slave, they'll probably be able to tell you about plenty of differences. ;-)

[Atlas Sneezed]

"Jury duty is almost a sacred honor in our system of government and justice."

How many tens of thousand of dollars of your family's financial security are you willing to sacrifice on the altar of our corrupt judicial system?

[friendly]

Hunting Rules for Lawyers

This years Lawyer Season and Bag Limit regulations:

1. It shall be unlawful to shout "whiplash", "ambulance", or "free scotch" for the purpose of trapping lawyers.

2. It shall be unlawful to hunt lawyers within 50 yards of Micro$oft buildings.
It shall be unlawful to hunt lawyers within 100 yards of BMW, SAAB or Mercedes dealerships.
It also shall be unlawful to hunt lawyers within 200 yards of courtrooms, law libraries, health spas, ambulances or hospitals.

3. It shall be unlawful to use $100 bills, prostitutes, software license agreements or vehicle accidents to attract lawyers.

4. It shall be unlawful to chase, herd or harvest lawyers from a snow mobile, helicopter or aircraft.

5. Killing lawyers with a vehicle is prohibited. If accidentally struck, remove dead lawyer to roadside and proceed to the nearest car wash.

6. Stuffed or mounted lawyers must have a state health department inspection sticker.

7. It shall be illegal for a hunter to disguise himself as a reporter, drug dealer, female legale cleark, Micro$oft employee, accident victim, bookie or tax accountant for the purpose of hunting lawyers.

8. Taking lawyers with traps or deadfalls is permitted. The use of currency as bait is prohibited.

9. Varios bag limits are set for lawyers including:
Brown-nosed judge kissers...............2
Back-stabbing divorce litigators........4
Hairy-chinned civil libertarians........7
Two-faced tort chaser...................2
Micro$oft legal department member.......9
Yellow bellied sidewinders..............2

10.Note that honest lawyers are extinct.

[Hoppean]

Since the end of the draft, I think jury service is the only time that our government demands a citizen's personal services. But, for some people even that is apparently too much to ask.

What about all the taxes and regulations there are on the citizens? We're already serfs at this point.

[Steel Wolf]

No, I mean that if he had followed that pesky Constitution thingy and showed up for jury duty, and not cursed out a public official for no reason whatsoever, he could have put in for his exemption and gone home. Sure, he would have had to miss a couple hours of work, and spring for a ride to the courthouse and back.

What is astounding is that allegedly patriotic and civic minded Americans see this as so unreasonable. There isn't so much as a hint of any wrongdoing on the part of the civil servants; they just asked him to show up as required by law.

You might not like the IRS, and think that they have been unfairly taking your hard earned money. Does that mean you can call them up and say '(explative) you, I'm not paying my taxes, bitch'. No, you can't. You could make as many ad hominem attacks against IRS agents you like, but you'd be on the wrong side of the law.

[Iris7]

I got a chuckle out of your attempts to gain attention by being outrageous. But you know, you sound like a Bakunin leftist. Perhaps you would be happier hanging out at a different web site?