SPELL CHECK WOULDN'T WORK..so no wise cracks

Sorry for my absence...I got a little letter in the mail that said I had to report for jury duty on Monday July 21st. I thought that I most likely wouldn't get picked, as there were 108 potential jurors and the "lottery" had to pick 32 names. I wasn't in the first 32 names picked...so my chances were looking good. For some reason, I had a gut feeling this case was going to be about sexual assualt...don't ask me why, but I just knew. All of us that weren't picked had to stay in the courtroom because after the charges (or indictment) was read against the defendant, some or many of the 32 jurors would have a prejudices or may know some of the "actors" involved in the case.

So, here I sit in the back of the courtroom (with a really nice guy from Havre!) and we were sort of chit-chatting and jovial. When the indictment was read outloud, I knew my chances were probably greatly increased as it was a sex crime against a 50 year old Indian man (against his 11 year old step daughter). Of course, my heart sank.

About half of the 32 picked stood up and said "I can't judge this man fairly as I have teenage children" or "I am a school teacher" and one old cranky farmer (from Wolf Point) said "Judge, I just DON'T LIKE INJUNS !!"...so all those people were "excused".

Well, they had 31 jurors set and guess who's name was called...mine, I knew it was going to be mine because they always stumble over my last name. Holy, it's POINDEXTER !! How hard is that POIN DEX TER...lordy !

Then, they lawyers can "kick off" members of the jury until the number gets down to 14 (12 juror, with two alternates). So...they are calling names and guess who name is called 14th...me. I was called last on BOTH rounds.

I felt it was my duty to serve, as I knew I could keep an open mind. Throughout my my life, I have trials and tribulations and I am sure I was judged on my behavior (fairly or not). It was a difficult decision, but this wasn't a moral issue...it was a legal one.

My fellow jurors elected me jury foreperson (which was not expected) meaning on Tuesday (when we reached a verdict) I had to stand up...WITH A MICROPHONE...and pronounce the decision. I have no idea why my fellow jurors elected me foreperson, but I think it was because I (by far) was the most talkative. DUH !

I thought "this man's life is on the line as is the lives of his alleged victims, (both previous and future)...I did NOT want to let this man walk free if he was a predator and I did NOT want to send this man to Federal Prison (30 years to life) if he was innocent.

Oh, it was a Federal Case due to the alleged crime took place on the Crow Reservation.

We found the man guilty..and I am not regretting or questioning my decision but it was a difficult one. Let me tell all of you something...the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has some VERY quirky and odd regulations that NO OTHER law enforcement agency in this wonderful country of ours follows. It could have easily been a not guilty verdict or at the very least, a hung jury.

I cried most of Monday and Tuesday, and don't even mention sleep....I tossed and turned both those nights. I finally got some pretty good snoozes last night (Thank the LORD for Advil PM)...

Again, it wasn't fun...but in a strange way it was rewarding. AND, extremely interesting.