Everything is making me cranky today!
Except for Henry, who was kind enough just now to step on the toggle switch that takes my Christmas tree rotate. That, at least, is making me happy
Like me, Henry seems to want something but isn’t sure what it is.
The 3 just-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies didn’t even do it for me, though they were yummy!
And my niece and her husband sent me this. I feel seen.
Okay, morality and ethics related question.
Since I’m feeling so blah and not at all constructive today, I watched an episode of Law & Order instead of doing something useful.
Short premise:
Wealthy and respected pillar of the African-American community is murdered.
Turns out that he is trafficking and assaulting young AA women.
The person on trial is the black father of a high school girl who was one of young girls who was victimized.
And he had just found out about the whole thing.
You’re on the jury:
Do you vote to convict, where the dad gets 25 years in prison?
Or do you vote to acquit?
My realization while watching the show:
If I were on the jury today – because of all that is happening since the election, and even more so since the inauguration – it’s a whole different world. I think that as a juror today I would come down on a different side than I would have a year ago.
So, convict? Or acquit? No other options available to you.
Mostly open thread.
Baud
I can’t be hung?
WaterGirl
Henry seems to have at least one ear today. That will surely make at least one of our BJ peeps happy.
WaterGirl
@Baud: Nope, you have to choose, one way or another.
Regardless of how hung you are.
Commit. Which is it?
Slappy Williams
I’m hung and leaning towards acquittal….
Baud
Some small bit of good news to help with the crankiness
WaterGirl
@Slappy Williams: No hanging!!! :-)
TheronWare
Helloooo Henry!
Nukular Biskits
Yes!
WaterGirl
@Nukular Biskits: Dammit, you guys, pick one! :-)
Steve LaBonne
Acquit without a second thought.
Baud
I need to know whether the murdered individual was the CEO of a health insurance company.
WaterGirl
@Steve LaBonne:
Two questions.
Was that supposed to link to something?
Is that the same decision you would have made a year ago?
Lacuna-Synecdoche
@Baud:
That’s between you and your god.
WaterGirl
@Baud: He was not. Just a regular working class black man with a wife and a young teenage daughter.
HeleninEire
HENRY!!!
Old School
That’s a cute dumpster file.
And a cute Henry.
NotMax
@Baud
TMI, dude.
;)
Scout211
Was that the new episode from last night? I watched it but got distracted and missed the jury decision. Was he convicted?
The undercover detective storyline what caused me the most conflicted feelings. A police detective who operates outside of the lines, but not the way that we typically see police officers conducting themselves outside of the lines today (see police brutality). She wanted to stay out of testifying even though she was a witness because she thought the victim was worse than scum. She refused to testify and then when she was forced to, she lied under oath to protect the father. Quite a dilemma. Is it ever okay to operate outside of the lines?
This new version of L&O is not as good as the older versions but they do write some interesting story lines..
NotMax
Jury decisions supposed to be made solely based on the evidence presented at trial, outside factors or milieu having no bearing.
SaltWaterCleanse
What would Merrick Garland do?
I would acquit bcz I’m going full-on don’t play fair or nice with bad guys (the trafficker).
Jackie
Acquit. He should be rewarded for killing that scumbag.
Steve LaBonne
@WaterGirl: Sorry, here it is (it won’t surprise you.) And yes, because jury nullification is a legitimate part of a common law justice system. Also even the Romans would say “fiat justitia ruat coeli”. https://youtu.be/qrrz54UtkCc?si=ZCAKUGafcTSQsSQm
jackmac
IANAL but seems to me that the extenuating circumstances would lead the judge to declare a mistrial even before jury consideration.
If not, then acquittal by the jury.
coin operated
@NotMax:
Uh huh…new application for AI…take the human emotion out of jury trials….
Ohio Mom
A very noble effort to distract us, WaterGirl.
Now back to doom-scrolling.
Baud
If Dems want to win and their name isn’t Obama, they need to suck up to billionaires, apparently. (Click to see chart).
bluefoot
@NotMax:
I was once excluded during jury selection for pointing that out (in response to a question). That we the jury decide based on what the rules say we can see, and what’s negotiated as allowable, not on actual reality. I did say that I understood that that was how it works, and I would be able to decide on that basis since it was my civic duty, but the prosecution bounced me so fast.
stinger
I vote that Henry gets all the treats. He may not know what he wants, but all the treats will help!
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Yep. So which way would you have gone if you were on the jury?
A year ago would have gone with conviction. But we’re not in the world we were a year ago, so I would have voted for acquittal.
The justice system works for rich and powerful people every single day, coloring outside the lines.
WaterGirl
@NotMax: There are a lot of things that should be true, that are no longer true in actuality.
RevRick
I have long fantasized about being Henry Fonda on Twelve Angry Men, but the one time I did serve on a jury (as foremen), we voted to convict. (A white father and son theft team)
Not guilty.
oldgold
Convict. Vigilante justice is not the answer.
WaterGirl
@Ohio Mom:
Your choice!
Baud
@WaterGirl:
You said the victim was working class.
CCL
@WaterGirl: loving the daily photos.
Steve LaBonne
@Baud: Try rereading the OP.
WaterGirl
@Baud:
I guess I thought that what followed (virtually) is that it’s time for it to work for working people, especially for the underprivileged.
WaterGirl
@CCL: Happy to know that, thank you!
Baud
@Steve LaBonne:
That’s different than comment 14.
I declare a mistrial!
Scout211
TBH, I don’t really know.
West of the Rockies
I popped onto Instagram for the first time in a while. The content that appeared was terrible: violent, juvenile, redneck garbage. WTF?
WaterGirl
@Baud: See, this is why the seldom allow you attorneys on juries! :-)
Scout211
The defendant was working class. The victim/scum was rich and prominent in the community.
WaterGirl
@West of the Rockies:
I predict that by a year from now, BlueSky will have gone to shit, too, making Spoutible the only option for true social media that isn’t controlled by and/or ruined by the oligarchs.
Spoutible is built around keeping the scum out.
ArchTeryx
Would this be an appropriate thread to repost my NIH missive? I posted it last thread but that was quickly bigfooted, and it’s a pretty bleak lot, so I am not sure if this is the right thread for it. What say it, mods?
WaterGirl
@ArchTeryx: I am jumping between this thread and the previous one, and I imagine other people are, too.
About half the comments on Rose’s thread were posted after this thread went up.
If it were me, I wouldn’t post your comment again in this thread.
Baud
@WaterGirl:
So where am I going to go?
stinger
Convict. It is now more important than ever to follow the law. I think a year ago I’d have voted to acquit.
Old School
@Baud:
The victim was a music mogul. (And, per a right-wing recap I just read, the episode was unfair to white people.)
WaterGirl
@Baud: Spoutible, of course! :-)
Scout211
I’m a little cranky too. I am currently watching a tree service contracted by PG&E cut down one of my giant beautiful blue oak trees just because it could fall on the power lines if there is a windstorm. Is that a good reason to cut down a beautiful oak tree?*
*Narrator: You live in California. Yes, it is good reason, so buck up.
different-church-lady
Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.
WaterGirl
@Old School:
Interesting! I would think you’d have to work pretty hard to see that episode as unfair to white people.
Unless, of course, that’s coming from someone who thinks that presentation of anything from a black point of view is unfair to white people.
Scamp Dog
@ArchTeryx: I’m not a mod, but I did see your comment and am slightly on the side of not posting again, because people like me will be reading. If that doesn’t sound convincing to you, I understand!
different-church-lady
Murder is murder. Convict, then hope the judge makes justice with a morally appropriate sentence.
different-church-lady
@WaterGirl: Who says whites are lazy?
crshark
Jurors take an oath to make their decision based on the evidence and in accordance with the law as the judge instructs. When I took that oath, I took it very seriously. Was he charged with premeditated murder? 2nd degree (unpremeditated) murder? Manslaughter? Negligent homicide? These all have different standards for conviction? Was there any evidence of self defense or defense of a third party? If the evidence established the elements of a criminal offense without mitigating circumstances, I’d vote to convict with great sadness and anguish, even if I would commit the same crime if my daughter had been victimized as the daughter of the accused father. I’d also beg the judge for the greatest leniency in sentencing. But, yes, I’d vote to convict. Those who would not, in my opinion, are little different from the jurors that acquitted the white guy who murdered the young man with a disability in the New York subway.
Timill
Acquit. So far, nobody’s even put the accused anywhere near the scene of the crime…
WaterGirl
@Scout211: That’s so sad. I was crushed when I had to have my silver maple cut down after much of it had crashed on my house. Love of trees is a real thing.
Then my neighbor called the city and tried to get the to pressure me to take down my perfectly health other silver maple.
Was your blue oak tree compromised in some way? It it was a healthy tree, it seems like they should leave it up. No? Unless they are going to remove all the trees in CA.
Itinerantpedant
Acquit. Too many people think wealth and power mean they can do anything they want, especially wrt women.
Message sent.
Steve LaBonne
@Old School: We have one hell of a lot of unfairness to suck up before the balance will even begin to be righted.
JaySinWA
Last I heard Spoutible was created and run by one individual. Subject to his continued benevolence and health. I wouldn’t count on it being the bulwark of freedom, even the freedom from scum. Maybe a quiet reading room
ETA I don’t hold out hope that BlueSky will be that either, but I’d give it longer than a year to fail
ETA 2 I don’t have an answer to your hypothetical. I honestly don’t know what I would do.
Gin & Tonic
@Baud: I thought that’s why you eschewed pants.
Scout211
@Timill: They had video surveillance of him outside the venue waiting for the victim and witnesses that saw him talking to the victim, his DNA was on the gun.
WaterGirl
@Scout211: I didn’t answer your question about the verdict in case anyone else plans to watch the show. But I would gladly answer by email if you want to know.
Scout211
@WaterGirl: Yes, it was compromised. The double trunk was starting to split. The PG&E contractors check our trees every year now and this was the first time they flagged that one. It’s just sad to see it go.
japa21
If the evidence is there, I vote to convict, then push for leniency in sentencing.
Old School
@WaterGirl:
It is the Media Research Center, so I’m sure they are on the lookout for that, but: (not going to link)
mark
acquit
Matt McIrvin
@WaterGirl: So, this is one of the arguments for the fediverse/Mastodon: there, everything in a particular instance is dependent on the benevolence of the people running that instance; BUT you’re supposed to be able to “vote with your feet” and easily jump from one to another if you find that’s a problem. (I have not actually done such a jump, so don’t know how easy it really is.)
There are limitations. You can download an archive of your posts, but you can’t actually move all the posts to the new instance. You’ll move your profile with follows and such, however, and you can do a forced redirect so that everyone who follows you will see you at the new place.
It’s all… a little geekier than it should be. But the theory is that the profusion of instances will make the rot harder to take hold everywhere. An instance can defederate entirely from bad actors, effectively block everyone there as well as individual block capability.
Running one is a lot of work though.
The thing about Instagram is that it’s owned by Meta, so Zuckerberg’s rot is going to apply there where it doesn’t to Bluesky. But Bluesky is going to be dependent on the people running Bluesky.
WaterGirl
I think that once you lose faith in the system, all bets are off.
Another Scott
@Baud: +1
I’d vote to acquit, hoping for a hung jury.
AFAIK, cases like these usually have several charges, so a jury could pick a more lenient crime with a more lenient possible punishment.
Presumably if he were acquitted in this case, prosecutors could charge him with something else.
Life isn’t black and white. I usually don’t like black and white thought problems with bad outcomes on either side, but this version of the Trolley Problem made me rofl.
Thanks.
Best wishes,
Scott.
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Knowing that the tree was split, now I’m just sad, not sad and outraged. My neighbor across the street (different neighbor) cut down the post beautiful redbud tree on the block, simply because he wanted more shade for his veggies. That made me sad.
John S.
I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell: ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’
JML
If the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, then convict.
I don’t ascribe to vigilante justice (despite being an avid comic book reader). It’s incredibly seductive at times, especially when the rich and powerful get away with so much, so often, and with such apparent ease. But when you make vigilante justice ok, then the rich and powerful will simply get worse and get away with everything.
I’ll feel terrible for this defendant, and hope for some clemency in sentencing or after some time served. But murder is not ok and if they prove the case, convict.
WaterGirl
@Old School: LOL. In a sad way.
different-church-lady
@John S.: Didn’t that guy’s show get cancelled?
WaterGirl
@Another Scott: That is funny! Thanks for linking.
Baud
I’d convict and then pardon.
ArchTeryx
@WaterGirl: You got it. I’ll hold off then and leave it in Rose’s thread.
John S.
@different-church-lady:
The show and the guy both got cancelled after he pissed off his corporate masters.
different-church-lady
@Another Scott: OK, I’m only two-thirds of the way down and I’m thinking I’d tie the professor to the tracks…
different-church-lady
@Baud: Pardon? Why, did the guy beat cops with a fire extinguisher too?
Baud
Nice
different-church-lady
@Baud: Trump can probably just tuck them back through one of the holes they cut in his wall.
John S.
@Baud:
How dare Mexico act like a sovereign nation! I wonder what pithy nickname Trump will come up with for President Sheinbaum for defying his will other than the usual “nasty woman” bullshit.
Old School
@Baud:
There will a new executive order changing that policy!
Another Scott
@WaterGirl: BlueSky seems really slow to me these days.
Page appears.
Wait.
Wait some more.
Wait some more.
Content populates on page.
Mastodon is blazingly fast by comparison, even grabbing stuff from all over (e.g. mastodon.social/explore) .
I occasionally look at JoJoFromJerz and similar things via XCancel.com that don’t seem to be active elsewhere, but I haven’t looked at other sites (Spoutible, etc.) in a while.
It looks to me like BlueSky needs to up their hardware game. Or there’s something broken about the way they’re running things.
Dunno.
Best wishes,
Scott.
JaySinWA
@Baud: The article link is broken
here’s a working link.
The image link goes to BlueSky and works okay.
I thought they were using civilian or private aircraft for deporting, but apparently they have military flights as well.
JaySinWA
@Old School: possibly involving parachutes. Or not.
stinger
@WaterGirl:
I agree. That’s why I’d vote to convict. We have to follow the law.
Your description of the plot says “the person on trial”, but I’m assuming sufficient evidence of his guilt was presented to convict. I wouldn’t acquit only out of sympathy. If the evidence was circumstantial or otherwise inadequate, I’d acquit.
As a juror is part of “the system”. I’m going to act in good faith by following the law — especially now.
JaySinWA
@Another Scott: I’ve had the reverse, probably because I rarely go to Mastodon these days. But given the massive increase in registration at BlueSky, it isn’t surprising that it would have slowdowns. I’m not sure where the money will come from to expand the servers if the growth continues.
JaySinWA
@stinger:
In the past “the law” has been quite malleable to Dictators. It’s not clear how well our legal and legislative system will hold up. At some point you have to decide between what is right and what is legal.
ETA It is often difficult to know what is right in the best of circumstances. In this timeline, with conflicting views on what the facts are, it will be even harder.
Quinerly
I need some help. I read the Navajo Times almost daily during Covid Times before and after my friend and Navajo guide died of Covid six weeks after I saw him last. Have gotten out of the habit of the daily read. Never had a subscription. Could read back issues.
Can someone find this entire article? It’s from yesterday. It shouldn’t be as hard as it seems to be for me. My brain is overwhelmed and fried. TYIA
https://navajotimes.com/reznews/navajo-trump-supporters-share-their-reasons-for-supporting-the-47th-us-president/
bluefoot
I forgot I had this quote on my computer. It seems appropriate for the times. George Washington, farewell address:
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.”
stinger
@JaySinWA: So jurors should ignore the evidence and just follow their hearts? I can’t agree. The collapse of the rule of law would have to be a lot farther along than it currently is. For now, someone has to hold the line.
Gloria DryGarden
@WaterGirl:
Another Scott
I just came across this, which seems relevant: OPJ.gov:
FWIW.
Best wishes,
Scott.
sab
We all have our real problems.
Then there is me and my computer. Turns out my three year old Microsoft Office 365 programs aren’t mine, they were just rented. And now that I need Excel for the second time this year to get old documents I have to jump througn hoops and buy stuff.
No way. Burned me once early Covid. Back to paper for me.
So I am actually having to do a traditional CPA ( cut paste and assemble) thing to file payroll W-2s for two employees on the final w-2s and w-3 of my dad who died in April because I did the right thing and withheld taxes.
The Adams tax forms I use don’t play well with my printer, so last year I came up with an Excel spreadsheet that allowed me a work around.
This year Microsoft Excel just doesn’t want to cooperate because reasons. So back to Adams to print it, and me to figure out a way for my copier to put the right number into the right locations for the Social Security and IRS computers to read it.
I am so old that I remember when a neatly written W-2 could be filed and would work.
I remember when a tiny employer didn’t need to spend five hundred dollars and a full day just doing her civic duty of reporting the annual income and tax withholdings.
Just tax reporting but I am livid.
We are done, but my God it is a strong temptation to just run paperless and tax avoidance. There is no upside to obeying the law here
OT Lovely little Echo the satby resue is again sitting on my lap, keeping warm and drowsing, oblivious to my fuming.
JaySinWA
That is not at all what I meant. Jurors have to weigh the evidence and the law. They need to understand that the evidence that is presented is limited, and that laws can be unjust.
Nothing I said should be construed as ignoring the evidence.
WaterGirl
@Another Scott:
Or perhaps it’s the result of deliberate slowing of the traffic to that site?
Llelldorin
Convict, then appeal to the governor for a commutation to a lighter sentence. This is what the pardon power is supposed to be for.
Chris Johnson
@JaySinWA: Not funny ‘cos way too realistic. These people live for that. They desperately want an excuse to pressure Mexico into accepting by simply Pinochet-ing their victims and saying ‘coming right back with more!’. I would bet a moderate sum of money they’ll end up dropping at least one victim from at least some kind of flying aircraft. In their meme it’s helicopters because that’s what Pinochet used. This is on their minds.
different-church-lady
@sab: 1) Having recently been inflicted with a PC for work, I can safely say Microsoft is evil.
2) You might be able to crack some of your old spreadsheets with LibreOffice. It’s free, and very very compatible with Office formats.
Ruckus
@WaterGirl:
Many people seem to think that once you reach a certain financial level it is easy to make a lot more. It is easier than when starting out. You can afford to put some money in places that the average person does not have the wealth to do that and make more than a labor job gives one. Often far more. It’s money making money. And once it builds it can make a lot of money.
One can afford to own a business that sells stuff a lot of or everyone needs. And with a smattering of common sense and intelligence can make a lot.
And in a population of the size of ours, all one needs to do is get a segment of that population to give you some money and you can keep making bank. And as that grows, to more and more bank.
This type of economy is what it has been for centuries for some. It is of course not that way for everyone or maybe even a majority. But it effectively builds an economy and as more and more people move up the success ladder – because wages go up, more people have jobs that pay well. And on it goes. Until some greedy jackass screws the pooch in some manner and blows it up. Like possibly the wealthiest goes pompously and completely 110% asshole – instead of 95-97% asshole.
WaterGirl
@Another Scott: Thank you for that! Very relevant to the conversation.
JaySinWA
@Chris Johnson: I’m well aware of the existence of Pinochet helicopter memes and that some people are seriously advocating making them US policy for political enemies. I don’t know that anyone with that mindset is getting into positions of authority to do that in deportations or politics, but it isn’t a great stretch to think that might happen. I hope we don’t go there.
SFBayAreaGal
Acquit
Ruckus
@bluefoot:
Some things never actually change in humanity. Sure the names can change, the concept of how someone makes a lot of money can and will change, humans will learn more as society does and some will take advantage of others to make even more. That’s the basis of capitalism and used well it is far better than the government owns everything and everyone. But not everyone plays by the rules, especially the normally unspoken rules. And some are/have to be the greedy fucks, after all this is humanity.
JaySinWA
@Another Scott: One thing that the abstract omits is that jury nullification was also present in acquitting perpetrators of lynching in the rare cases that came to trial, It has a mixed history.
sab
@different-church-lady: Cut and paste on paper with graph paper is my new thing. I remember when these guys couldn’t fuck up everything to cash in hugely on normal civic life
ascap_scab
There are always other options. Didn’t you ever watch Star Trek?
Vote to convict. Then break him out of prison. Tell him he is now beholden to you, or you’ll turn him in. Now tell him his mission is to go out and kill other sex traffickers and you will supply targets, info, weapons, and rewards.
After a few successful missions, you begin to redirect missions to assassinate other evil shitbags beyond sex traffickers.
Eventually, the guy has to assassinate his handler to free himself from what he knows is his immorality, only to find a new handler to take his place.
This is a TV show I’d watch.
JaySinWA
Musical interlude:
Cell Block Tango (He Had It Comin’)
…
He had it coming, he had it coming
He only had himself to blame
If you’d have been there, if you’d have seen it
I betcha you would have done the same
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh Uh, Cicero, Lipschitz!
…
stinger
@JaySinWA:
Thanks for the clarification. Please know that I didn’t willfully misunderstand you — my thoughts were just running on a different track.
As I said, a few years ago I’d have come down on the side of acquit, but the time for demonstrating adherence to the law (if not blatantly unjust) is now or never.
stinger
@sab:
Maddening.
My sister raised her mentally disabled granddaughter, who is now a young adult, works at two part-time jobs, and can live on her own with support. Some months she earns a little over the limit and some of the financial support has to be repaid to the government. My sister, in her late 70s, has to track her granddaughter’s earnings, various types of government support, and expenses, and make sure anything that needs to be repaid is repaid. The amount of time and paperwork this involves is nuts. And the amount of taxpayer dollars it “saves” is tiny!
Obviously not the same as your own immediate issues, but we could have had four more years of a government that tries to solve problems like these. Now we have a government intent on causing more problems for people like us.
ljdramone
I served on a jury in Baltimore City last summer. In brief:
Defendant’s ex-girlfriend was taking their son and moving out of state, came by to let him say goodbye. Defendant was living with his mom, who didn’t like the ex. A fight ensued.
Ex left then came back with her mom and some friends to find defendant’s mom and f*ck her up. Second larger fight ensued in front of the house.
Defendant had semiauto .22 rifle for “home defense.” Went out on porch and fired into the air to break up the fight. Didn’t work, so he shot several more times in the general direction of the women who were trying to curbstomp his mom.
One shot hit ex’s friend in the back, penetrated aorta. She died on the way to the hospital.
State of Maryland charged reckless endangerment and a choice of voluntary manslaughter, 2nd degree murder, or 1st degree murder.
We deliberated for a total of about 6 hours over two days, and found him guilty of reckless endangerment and innocent on other charges. We agreed if involuntary manslaughter had been a choice, we would have voted guilty.
Guess I’m on Team Innocent.
WaterGirl
@ascap_scab: Let us know when you find a producer!
Miss Bianca
I want one of those emotional support dumpster fire stuffies! As it is, I have a feeling my mantra for the foreseeable future is, indeed, going to be, “It’s fine, I’m fine, everything is fine. FINE, I’m telling you!!11!!”
WaterGirl
@Miss Bianca: Mine arrived via Amazon, so I’m sure you can buy one if you want one
Search for: emo support dumpster and you’ll find various options.
sab
Coyotes weigh 10 to 30 pounds. They are wild animals and can be fierce, it basically they are not any bigger than a lot of long legged foxes or your beagle.
I respect their prowess, but they do not keep me up at night.
Miss Bianca
@Another Scott: Nice one! (The Trolley Problem comic)
Miss Bianca
@sab:
@different-church-lady:
Chiming in with another endorsement of LibreOffice. I run it on both Linux and Mac systems, so I don’t know how well it plays with Windows. I am fighting tooth and nail to keep Windows 11 off my computer at work.
different-church-lady
@Miss Bianca: Having limited experiences with both, I’d say 11 is preferable to 10. But I’ve never actually tried to maintain a machine with either, I’ve only used them in basic ways.
Outlook, on the other hand, is a crime against humanity.
Another Scott
@ljdramone: Thanks for that.
I once got called for jury duty just before we were to leave for our honeymoon 25+ years ago. When my group was finally called into a courtroom, we heard a brief summary of the case. Some sort of fight broke out in some disturbing circumstances and one of the people fighting was arrested and subject of this trial. He was charged with “aggravated malicious wounding”. The penalty can be up to life in prison.
After that description, the judge asked if there were any prospective jurors who could not serve or wanted to be excused. I raised my hand and when asked why said that I would be on my honeymoon. The courtroom laughed, the judge excused me.
Thankfully.
I don’t know how the case turned out.
:-(
(I’ve served on a jury in a civil wrongful death case (truck hit a small sportscar), and we did our best to be fair in that.)
Thanks again.
Best wishes,
Scott.
brantl
@WaterGirl: You give no intimation of what the evidence is, and that matters to me, at least.
brantl
@John S.: No shit! If we could make an Alice’s Restaurant type move out of this, and get like 60 million people to all do this at the same time, the whole Rethuglican Party might shit their pants.
Barry
@Baud: “”
In email to X staff, Musk says “user growth is stagnant, revenue is unimpressive, and we’re barely breaking even”; sources: banks plan to sell their debt in X (Wall Street Journal)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink”
‘You have outlived your usefulness and are not worth the oxygen’.