Q for anyone: Was she sworn in before voir dire was conducted?
Was she sworn in before voir dire was conducted?
voir dire
noun LAW
a preliminary examination of a witness or a juror by a judge or counsel.
I had been living in our current city about 3 years, and I got called up for possible jury duty in a murder trial. The accused had brutally shot and killed one of his peddlers.
The judge during my voir dire: asked if I had a problem with a death sentence if the defendant was found guilty.
I said, “No, that I would provide the rope or gun if needed.
The defendant’s lawyer went into orbit, and the judge smiled and told me I could go home.
About 10 years later, I got selected for another jury trial.
This defendant was charged with defrauding elderly people with fake property deals and other con job investments.
Somehow I got past my voir dire, in spite of telling the court, judge and jury, “My mother was a widow on her early 80’s and so were her 3 sisters. That, evil people, who preyed on elders deserved to locked up in jail and have the keys thrown away.
I was selected as the jury foreman. We then introduce our self. I did, and the judge, who knew me personally said he had some questions for me.
The first one was my years of schooling. I told him I had an MBA from a good west coast school.
His next question was how many hours of accounting classes did I have. I told him 18 hours for my BS, and a full semester in my MBA.
His next question, “Do you do your own taxes, Federal and State.
My answer, “If that isn’t a trick question, I have never used a cpa nor have I been audited. I do all of our taxes.”
By the time I was reseated, the lawyer and his thief went up front to talk to the Judge. They kept looking at me.
In a couple of minutes, the Judge said, “This trial is over,the defendant has pled guilty.”
The bailiff got me to the side and told me to wait until everyone had left, the judge wanted to talk to me in private. .
He thanked me and said both the defendant and lawyer did not want me on the jury after my tax question/answers . The judge told them I would stay on the jury and still be the foreman. They had no problems until they found out about my accounting background.
The two of them talked in private and approached the bench and the defendant plead guilty.
The bailiff told me to stay as the Judge want to talk to me in private.
The judge thanked me and jokingly asked if I could be a permanent juror for cases like this.
I said no thank you..