Posted on Aug 30, 2016
Does being a veteran keep you from serving on a jury?
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I ask because yesterday I was called for jury duty. I was selected to a group of 28 potential jurors who went to a courtroom to be questioned by the judge and lawyers. When questioning revealed that I had served in the military I could see red pens come out on both sides to mark their spreadsheets. Ultimately I wasn't selected, but sure seemed vet status did me in early on in questioning.
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 257
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I have only been called once, and I was selected. The defendent was a PV2. The prosecutor was concerned with my military experience, but allowed me on because I was also a former MP with extensive experience as a responding officer to many Domestic violence cases.
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Good afternoon Sir,
I recently served on jury duty, and it was known that I was a veteran. So I am sure being a veteran does not keep you from serving on a jury.
I recently served on jury duty, and it was known that I was a veteran. So I am sure being a veteran does not keep you from serving on a jury.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Consensus seems to be that type of case being tried, not being a vet, is what may keep a vet from being selected to sit on a jury.
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I served on a court martial as a senior NCO. Another aspect of service to our country. If lawyers don't appreciate our serving, there are plenty of others who do. The current attitude toward the law is an aspect of shame and weakness for our society.
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Almost 50 years of age, and I've never even been called on. Just because I said that I will be.
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I disagree that being a vet will keep you from being selected to a jury – It all depends on the attorneys. Last Summer I was selected for jury duty for a child sex abuse trial and after two weeks of really sick evidence, witnesses and our deliberation, we found the defendant guilty on four counts. Dirty Grandpa is in the big house until he is almost 80.
For the life of me, I still don’t know why the defense attorney didn’t red-line me. When asked why I be a good juror, my reply was I see things as black and white based on the facts and have no problem following the judge’s orders. I guess in this particular case, having jurors that followed direction was more important that being a vet.
For the life of me, I still don’t know why the defense attorney didn’t red-line me. When asked why I be a good juror, my reply was I see things as black and white based on the facts and have no problem following the judge’s orders. I guess in this particular case, having jurors that followed direction was more important that being a vet.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Thanks for comment. I served on a jury in a different county for same type of case 10 years ago. Ya, hard to sit through evidence & testimony, uncle, not grandfather and we found guilty. After being dismissed some of us went back to courtroom to hear sentencing. Turns out guy had done this before and got life. Since Florida has no parole, life is life.
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I was called once, in initial selection I was Juror #1. I was retired at that time and was asked current occupation but many times when asked that I will follow up with "I'm Retired military". They went through the rest of the 12, and I was dismissed and another whose brother was a police officer was dismissed. That same day I talked with a coworker who was a lawyer and he asked if I said I was military and said yes. He said that many defense attorneys don't like to have military on the jury because we tend to not be as soft on people that break the law and are more likely to side with the arresting officer.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
That seems to be the general consensus along with the type of case. Thanks for comment.
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Sir, since you did not state where this occurred, I will venture a guess that you appeared before a bunch of liberals, in a liberal court, in a liberal jurisdiction. I say this because I have seved on two juries in Killeen, Texas after I retired in 2005. Both were murder trails, one was death penalty, the other life in prison. This is in a conservative district, in a conservative state. Since it is a pretty well known fact that between 75 and 95 % of military personel vote Republican, and are pretty much conservative minded, it is often assumed that military veterens will vote for stern punishments. Liberals do not like that fact and will try to remove veterans from the serving juries. Please let me where this occurred and knew your views on this, it is a bit intriguing. Unfortunately considering the state of the current Democratic Party I do not find this much of a surprise.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
It was in Hillsborough County, FL. We're kind of on the bubble of conservatives vs liberals as evidenced by being designated a battleground area in the coming election.
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SGM Joel Cook
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen - Sir, I did a quick demographics search on Hillsborough County, Florida. The people who voted there in the past 40 years voted predominantly Republican, that was until 2008 when large numbers of voters suddenly switched to the Democratic Party. As you stated it seems to be a bubble of conservatism amidst the liberals. Unfortunately it seems about eight years ago the vote tipped to the Democratic liberals. Here in Texas the colleges are almost all staffed with liberal professors whose agenda seems to be converting college students away from conservatism and towards liberalism. One of my sons who attended UT Austin is now a dedicated liberal the other who attended Texas A&M is a conservative with a little liberal leaning in some areas. There does actually seem to be a plan to infiltrate all schools and universities with liberal instructors to turn our youth away from Consevatism.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
SGM Joel Cook - Great comment, back during Vietnam we used to joke that the kids who were in college were being corrupted by the liberal draft dodgers who were their professors. Seems like things haven't changed much in in 40 years.
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I have been called and served on 2 juries in Colorado. I just went in and answered the questions honestly and didn't try to back out. When asked if I had anything that whould preclude me from serving I said, I did not. I also never volunteered that I was a vet or that I was an MP during my time.
Having been an MP and having to testify in court proceedings I know that spontainious exclamation and volunteering information is not readily accepted." Just the facts, ma'am".
Having been an MP and having to testify in court proceedings I know that spontainious exclamation and volunteering information is not readily accepted." Just the facts, ma'am".
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Have been Called twice, one for reckless driving, the defender simply did not show. The second for a Superior NY State court involving a mixed marriage, where the couple were claiming discrimination because they were turned away when they had no reservation. I was asked if I'd ever tried tostay in a hotel/motel and had been turned away. When I replied that I had, was asked what the circumstances were. When I explained that I was retired USAF and had many short notice tdy's and yes I had to explain what that was, was asked if I had ever been turned away answered yes they wanted to know what the reason and response from the hotel staff was, I stated they said they were full and was handed a phone book to look for another place. After that short discussion both sets of lawyers ran to the judges bench to dismiss me.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Sounds more like circumstances of case vs vet status. Thanks for comment.
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