Deliberation was a very unique process in itself. We were all basically strangers and the first thing we had to do was pick a foreman. We all sat around looking at someone else hoping they would step forward. After that bit of housekeeping was done. We went through everything about the trial. Since we weren’t allowed discuss the trial with anyone until a verdict was reached, it was such a relief to talk about it with others who experienced it with you.
On the third day, we decided to vote on the first count early in the morning. Someone collected all the folded pieces of paper and read it out loud.
Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.
It felt like my body got heavier with each word.
Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.
I tried not to make eye contact with anyone.
Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.
It was official. Guilty on count 1. Everyone breathed a sigh. A sigh of what, I’m not sure. On to the next decision. This one took longer.
We had to have the court reporter come in the room and read to us a section of the trial. She fascinated me. I watched her throughout the trial, typing silently on her special keyboard. I had to ask her how she did it. She explained that she taught the computer everything it knows. It’s based on syllables instead of words, and that for every trial she sets new commands into it. Well, after she left, we talked a bit longer. And voted for the second count.
This time there was one not guilty. 5 more minutes of deliberation changed their mind. We called the bailiff to tell him we had reached a verdict on both counts and after a little bit more waiting, we were called into the courtroom. Within ten more minutes, the defendant heard the live changing word: “guilty”. The jurors were dismissed and left the room to go back to the regular routine of their normal lives. The defendant returned to some jail cell to be sentenced later on. I’m not sure how long he was sentenced for, but it doesn’t matter because I did my part of civic duty.
No comments:
Post a Comment