Neighbor vs. Neighbor

This past week I was called for jury duty.  For the first time in my 18+ years in St. Louis I was selected to serve on a jury. Besides voting, jury service is an important civic duty.

The case we heard was one of neighbor vs. neighbor.  Specifically, two neighbors across the hall in the same South city apartment building.  It was a criminal case — one claimed the other flourished a weapon after an argument.  A gun belonging to the defendant was found in his apartment but ultimately we didn’t think the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt it was flourished at his accuser.

Living in close proximity to others will mean neighbors will have disputes.  Even out in sprawling suburbia neighbors can have disputes – say one parking his SUV in front of another’s McMansion.  Those of us that chose to live in muti-family housing must work extra hard at being good neighbors.  We have shared walls, floors, ceilings, and halls.  It is this relationship — seeing my neighbors in the hall — that has repeatedly drawn me toward multi-family living.  However, those with loud voices or a taste for loud music should avoid multi-family living.  Please!

Jury selection is a process of waiting.  I wish they had wi-fi so some of us could continue working while waiting.  After the trial I suggested as much to the judge.  Our judge, Phillip D. Heagney, was great.  He ensured that myself and the visually impaired juror were accomodated.  She had her service dog and I avoided the upstairs jury room except during deliberations.  You could tell he wanted all parties in the case to be treated fairly. I’ll certainly be voting to retain him as a judge in 2010 when his term expires.

Overall the jury experience was very positive.  It didn’t start that way.  I arrive with hundreds of others before 8am on Monday.  We were there before they started scanning and admitting visitors.  I asked if they had any seating — a 10 minute wait for me is like you standing for an hour.  I leaned against the stone surround near the conveyor belt for the screening.  A guard told me not to sit on the belt.  I explained I was mearly leaning against the stone edge around the belt.  He wasn’t pleased but he let it go.  When they started screening visitors I was first in that line.  But he told me to put my cane on the belt.  When I started to question getting through the sensor he said, “Don’t be difficult.”  Difficult?  Try walking in my shoes sometime!  I put the cane on the belt and held onto the side of the desk to get through the scanner.  I can walk a bit now without using the cane but that is typically in places I am familiar and not where I have to walk over anything.  Difficult?  Did he think the cane was just a fashion statement?

Everyone else from jury assembly to the courtroom were great.  Future trips through security they scanned the cane and handed it back to me, wanding me once I made it through.

During jury selection many on our panel were clearly trying to get themselves eliminated.  They succeded too.  Roughly 18 people in front of me were eliminated.  I probably could have my condition to get out of service but I didn’t mind doing my duty.  The judge promised those of us on the jury that we’d not be called again over the next four years.  So if you don’t want to be called for service every 18 months or so don’t get yourself eliminated.  We were done around 2pm on Wednesday.

And remeber to treat your neighbor well or you might just end up in court someday.