Called up for jury duty this week at Denver District Court, I got a quick canned lesson -- via a video narrated by Ed Sardella -- of our civic duty, backed by a real lesson in humanity, as assorted citizens offered up their reasons for why they could not possibly serve on a jury for two days.
One woman was worried about her cat. One man had to finish a construction project the next day or lose an important builder client. And another man really didn't want to bother the judge, but, well, his wife was pregnant with their first child, was on bed rest, and this very day was her due date. But he thought he could pay attention to all the testimony... unless he learned that she had just gone into labor.
Judge William Robbins let him go.
Cat lady and construction man were released by the defense and prosecution, respectively.
I never made it to the jury box.
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