I had jury duty all week, but good things do happen!

[keschete]

I had jury duty this week and went through Voir Dire for two cases. I got picked for the second jury. The article is below. This genius not only confessed on tape that he took the items, admitted he stepped over a fence to get to them and had the van he was driving on tape, casing the area and then pulling behind the building. Ten minutes later the van drives out with the back door open and the metal pole sticking out of the back.

Are you kidding me? He pled Not Guilty! Well, he was lucky he didn't steal from me and that I was only a juror Oh and when they arrested him, the girlfriend had her two small kids in car seats on the van floor. They had removed the seats to haul the scrap and let the kids just roll around in their car seats, untethered...

Jury duty is a PITA, but I am glad I served! Next time you all get jury service think of the positive you can do for your community!

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20..._5006892704717

A Chauvin resident was convicted Thursday night of burglarizing a barn the Montegut Recreation Center earlier this year, and now faces up to life in prison due to past convictions.

Brian Scott, 42 and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Davis, both of 6767 La. 56, were arrested about a week after the break-in, authorities said. The pair allegedly stole more than $1,500 worth of items, including metal chairs, a metal cart, a sink and a metal pole meant for a basketball hoop.

Scott was convicted by a six-member jury in District Judge David Arceneaux's courtroom after four minutes of deliberation, said Assistant District Attorney Jason Dagate. The main question in the trial, Dagate said, was whether the break-in was a burglary or theft, since the barn was severely damaged during Hurricane Gustav.

Due to Scott's prior convictions, Dagate said he is going to try to have him billed as a multiple offender. If Arceneaux accepts this bill, Scott will face at least 20 years in prison.

Davis' trial date is set for Oct. 17.

[STEELINOX]

Good on you for serving Kaya.

I served on a jury for a manslaughter case and murder case in Santa Ana Superior courts some years ago...

[Kringkily]

it really took four minutes to convict? lol did someone use the restroom haha

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by Kringkily

it really took four minutes to convict? lol did someone use the restroom haha

The news article says four minutes. Doesn't really seem to fit the spirit of the word "deliberation", but I wasn't there.

[keschete]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

The news article says four minutes. Doesn't really seem to fit the spirit of the word "deliberation", but I wasn't there.

It was actually 5 minutes....but the only thing in debate was if he "entered a structure". Simple burglary requires you to enter a structure and either commit a felony or a theft. The guy confessed on tape to the theft. He also confessed to stepping over a fence. The fence was 10 foot high and was attached to the structure as a temporary wall. So we only needed to decide if he entered the structure....

There was video and audio evidence....we picked a foreman and voted. First vote was unanimous guilty. We briefly discussed if he entered the structure to determine his crime. The options were simple burglary, attempted simple burglary, etc....

They caught him with the stolen pole...at his house, and he was driving the van on the video when arrested......not any reasonable doubt if you ask me.



If he hadn't had multiple other theft, burglary, failure to appear and parole violations, then he might not have been up for such a harsh sentence. As a jury, we were not to consider his previous crimes or potential sentence.

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by keschete

There was video and audio evidence....we picked a foreman and voted. First vote was unanimous guilty. We briefly discussed if he entered the structure to determine his crime. The options were simple burglary, attempted simple burglary, etc....

Please don't take it personally, but it just doesn't seem like a real deliberation to me. But, again, I wasn't there. Thanks for your service.

[Dr.Brian]

I don't know if his other crimes were violent, but 20 years for stealing $1500 of junk from a damaged, unsecured barn seems a bit extreme. People get less time for murder.

[Kringkily]

it's the amount of repeat offenses he's been convicted for. first time offenders get much less punishment then someone whose been caught 5 times.

[CoopJr]

3 Strikes in LA? 20 years for stealing a pole!

[keschete]

I didn't know that he was a repeat offender, or even who he was while I was on the jury. I was shocked that he would get so much time, but on the other hand, it is hard during hurricanes to protect your property and guys like this are rampant here.

They steal metal in order to scrap it so they can buy their Meth. We had one the other day that electrocuted himself stealing a ground wire from the electric company sub station.

20 years is probably great compared to getting a bullet for stealing during a hurricane. I am in the South and people here don't like looters.

Coop, I had to laugh, yep 3 strikes and prison for life over a "shiny pole" as he stated in his confession...they found the "shiny pole" in his yard........hehehehehe

[hdrazor251]

6 months for the theft. 19 1/2 years for being stupid.

[keschete]

There is a Rolex related theme here....the foreman was wearing a SS white faced Daytona :)

[CoopJr]

Originally Posted by keschete

There is a Rolex related theme here....the foreman was wearing a SS white faced Daytona :)

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by keschete

Next time you all get jury service think of the positive you can do for your community!

They don't call it duty for nothing.

My own experience serving on a grand jury was a very positive experience for me, although those I served with didn't see it that way and were dysthymic for three solid months.

I think that it helped that I had experience in both the military and in child protection and had already seen just about every kind of depravity, perversion, and mayhem that man can commit.

Originally Posted by rpryan55

The news article says four minutes. Doesn't really seem to fit the spirit of the word "deliberation", but I wasn't there.

When the evidence is overwhelming, it doesn't take much time to convict or return a true bill.

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by keschete

There is a Rolex related theme here....the foreman was wearing a SS white faced Daytona :)

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

When the evidence is overwhelming, it doesn't take much time to convict or return a true bill.

Really huge difference between convicting a man beyond a reasonable doubt and returning a true bill. And when you are taking someone's liberty away (as may happen after a conviction), it should take a bit of time and care. Just my $0.02.

[Lol-x]

It's not so easy from the other side, trying to convince a jury and staying sweet with them and the judge ain't easy

[threemonkeys]

Next time save yourself some trouble and call this cat. Tell him threemonkeys sent you.

http://youtu.be/L2cHkMwzOiM