It's time to renew your membership and keep access to free CLE, valuable publications and more. It was hard, she said, sighing as she recalled sitting out of the deliberation process. Public media is independent, community-supported media for the public good. A second officer at the incident scene gave testimony about the drugs that the person had in possession, and it was a lot of drugs. Teo Spengler earned a J.D. In fact, they won't even know they are alternates. I really feel their pain and their struggle. But life intervenes sometimes a juror falls ill or behaves so improperly that the judge dismisses him. With every hour, she felt more anxious. One of the officers wrote the report that showed the victims injuries on a standard domestic violence form they use, and was also shown a picture to support those injuries. Regardless of where you stand on the issue of Chauvins guilt, we all should agree that the Constitution guarantees every criminal defendant a fair trial. Put more precisely, the Supreme Court has upheld convictions when the verdicts were not unanimous. Such was the case for the alternates, including Christensen, who were selected for Chauvins trial. Alternate jurors are sworn and seated near regular jurors. Judge Kathleen A. Kennedy picks a number from a souvenir Dodger helmet to select a replacement juror in the Grim Sleeper murder trial last year. (A) Alternate jurors must have the same qualifications and be selected and sworn in the same manner as any other juror. 270.30 Trial jury; alternate jurors. Current law. >>Plea Bargaining YOU JUST HAD ME SIT IN A LIBRARY FOR HOURS WHEN I COULD HAVE BEEN MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS!. The Human Side of Being a Judge | Pennsylvania Code: Rule 645 - Seating and Retention of Alternate Jurors. The guy should have kept his mouth shut because he basically admitted to the crimes he was charged of. >>Instructions to the Jury "This is not really a well-litigated area," Meyn said. Welcome to Akit.Org, home to the Complaint Department and started on February 7, 2002. One mouthed, Im sorry, man.. In that way, she was like the others selected to serve as jurors in People of the State of California vs. Lonnie David Franklin Jr., one of the highest profile murder trials in the citys history. Jurors aid in the maintenance of law and order and uphold justice among their fellow . Could you maybe use them to write a book? Taylor Berman), Movies Should Be An Hour And Forty-Five Minutes. Megyn Kelly has been at the forefront of blasting transgenderism, especially where it concerns women's sports, and this hat was a hit. The judge won't reveal who the alternative jurors are until attorneys have finished making their cases. He said alternates could be chosen many different ways, but declined to give details. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Just six sentences are devoted to alternate jurors in Minnesotas Rules of Criminal Procedure, the rules that govern how criminal prosecutions work in the state. Legal experts say the final panelists chosen almost always serve as alternates, but court spokesperson Kyle Christopherson has said that wouldnt necessarily be the case for Chauvins jury. Courts and Legal Procedure | Finally, in answer to your question concerning the question of unanimity stressed by the judge, unanimity was required. A person who is sworn to a jury is a juror. Its unclear why Christensen thinks she owes Floyd an apology jurors take an oath to render a verdict based solely on the evidence and the law. Alternate jurors are selected in some cases to take the place of jurors who may become ill during the trial. You become very familiar with the subway system, and realize that for all the bitching people do about delays and fare hikes, it is surprisingly easy to get to Jamaica,Queens. In misdemeanor cases there are sometimes fewer than twelve jurors, though in serious criminal cases twelve jurors are generally required. During the criminal trial, alternate jurors will be indistinguishable from their peers. Nor was she questioned about whether she and the other jurors had heard that a pigs head had been left at the former home of the defense witness who said that Chauvins restraint of George Floyd was justified. >>Judgment Alternate COMSEC Custodian [National Security], Alternate Non-Emergency Services Provider, Alternate Payee to Qualified Domestic Relations Order. Thus, in a very important way, jurors become a part of the court itself. Christiansen interviewed with Jamie Yuccas of CBS This Morning, as well as with Minneapolis NBC affiliate KARE-TV reporter Lou Raguse. Our commitment is to provide clear, original, and accurate information in accessible formats. 1,020 likes, 12 comments - Maine Needs (@maineneeds) on Instagram: "If you live in or around Portland, you've likely noticed the encampment along the Bayside Trail. We perform original research, solicit expert feedback, and review new content to ensure it meets our quality pledge: helpful content Trusted, Vetted, Expert-Reviewed and Edited. You'll learn more about the drugs shortly. Relief washed over Cabrera the evidence against Franklin had been overwhelming, she thought, and her peers had made the right decision. The lawyers took careful notes about each person and asked more detailed questions which related to the case. If an emergency happens, such as a death in a jurors family, and that juror has to attend to the services for his or her loved one, then the trial would end in a mistrial, which might very well end in trying the same case twice. >>Civil and Criminal Cases They do not participate in the deliberations and therefore, they have no say in the verdict. Alternate jurors. 4. The judge won't. Okay, you know its because you were interviewed last, but maybe they set it up that way because theyre allageist. The trial court denied those requests. As an alternate juror, Christensen did not participate in deliberating on the verdict. 234. Christensen also acknowledged that by the time she made it on the jury, she had seen the video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd two or three times on the news and that she also saw the settlement run across the bottom of the screen one day.. Mother whose son donated organs reunites with recipient, It's time for spring fishing and they're definitely biting in E, Heartland Dental a step closer to new site in Meridian Plaza. Local, state, and federal employees are not eligible for the $15 stipend and you must notify the jury office. >>Appeals, How Courts Work Home | This is particularly true in criminal cases. JUROR [ ] (1): Not about the case. A member of the SF Sheriff's Department who investigates jailhouse crimes was called-in to make sure the audio tapes played to the jury was authentic. The foreman handed papers to the clerk and the courtroom quieted. Jury stipend is $15 a day and $2.50 for mileage, but won't get paid if it's their first day. In 1994, during the first murder trial of Erik and Lyle Menendez California brothers who would eventually be convicted in the gruesome murders of their rich parents two alternate jurors had a different routine: Theyd spend a few hours reading, play badminton inside an empty courtroom and then watch videos, one recounted. I thought it was a good experience, but one thing I wondered about was that there were only six of us on the jury. There is WiFi in the courthouse, including the main hallways. Any submissions to the author are subject to being published and to being modified prior to publication. A mistrial is costly both in time and in public resources, so when theres a hiccup jurors get sick, have scheduling conflicts and sometimes get kicked off the deliberating panel for breaking rules of the court an alternate swoops in. The judge thanks you for your service, and you nearly scream WHAT SERVICE?! The room is not just for the potential jurors to assemble, but for those who are a member of the jury to soak in the views of the downtown skyline. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, L.A. Affairs: I had my reasons for not dating white men. News, Politics, Culture, and more in realtime. In addition to challenges for cause, each lawyer has a specific number of She admitted that she could not absorb the governing law that the judge provided, and she merely felt that Chauvin was guilty on some level she could be no more specific. As an employee of Pasadenas water and power department, she knew her job would pay her during jury service, but she worried about falling behind at work. He compared the role to a second-string football player. During the death-penalty phase in a trial last year of a man accused of fatally shooting four people at a San Fernando Valley restaurant, Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo had to excuse a juror and bring in an alternate. These interviews support what many have suspected that irrespective of Chauvins guilt or innocence in the death of George Floyd, he likely did not receive a fair trial. I felt the defendant was guilty on all charges. They generally do not have the right to ask questions of witnesses, but some judges permit jurors to submit written questions for the judge and lawyers to consider. Alternate jurors will step in if a juror can't continue in the trial for reasons such as illness, a family emergency, or further exposure to information on Floyd's death that wouldtaint their decision. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. >>Civil and Criminal Trials You eat the sandwich next to an 80-year-old man who is wearing a fedora and eating an entire pound cake with his barehands. Another member of the Sheriff's Department was called into simply support the regular procedure of transporting the narcotics to the drug lab in San Mateo County. @PTNewsnetwork @zerosum24 @JackPosobiec Maxine Waters Inciting violence if Derek Chauvin isnt found guilty for murder. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? There are two types of judicial proceedings in the federal courts that use juries. >>Presentation of Evidence by the Defense In effect, they allow a lawyer to dismiss a juror because of a belief that the juror will not serve the best interests of the client. Another L.A. County judge, William C. Ryan, sighed during an interview when asked about alternates: Theyre critically important, Ryan said, but he often thinks of it as the always the bridesmaid, never the bride phenomenon. Marisa Gerber is an enterprise reporter at the Los Angeles Times. There's no prohibition on having the defendant draw the numbers of alternate jurors, but the general practice is to have the clerk of courts do it, said Ion Meyn, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School. One of the alternates a middle-aged woman with frizzy hair gripped her water bottle in suspense, then smiled as the judge told her shed been picked. and an M.F.A in creative writing and enjoys writing legal blogs and articles. *Steps in a Trial* Simpsons nine-month murder trial in 1995, all but two of the original 12 alternates were tapped to join deliberations. >>Verdict Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window), Explaining the Derek Chauvin trial: How alternate jurors work, Derek Chauvin murder conviction upheld in George Floyd killing, Ex-Minneapolis police union chief settles force lawsuits, Leading medical examiners discredit excited delirium as cause of death, Volunteers improve habitat in hopes sharp-tailed grouse will return, What to know about prescription drugs promising weight loss, Texas mass shooting suspect could be anywhere, sheriff says, What to know about tick, Lyme season following a mild winter, Investor ordered to pay SEC $8.3M for defrauding Hmong-American investors, Forest Lake school bus driver strike averted as tentative agreement reached, Why hemp farmers worry about MN legalizing cannabis, Five questions Wild must answer this offseason, Ward 1 convention ends in walk-out, no endorsement after grueling 9 1/2 hours, Minnesota Senate passes bill to legalize recreational marijuana, Charley Walters: Way too early to judge Vikings' pick of Jordan Addison, 'Forever chemicals' exacerbate water issues in Lake Elmo, development still on pause, Norman Quack's Chophouse closes its Stillwater location, NFL draft: Vikings swap down, then up, to nab pair of LSU defenders, 'Smiley-face killer' theorist accused of St. Paul sex assault at time of Zamlen search, For sale: A green thumb's house on Summit Avenue (with a conservatory! Question: A while back, I served as a juror on a civil case that involved two people suing each other. It will be the final closure for me to pay my respects and let George Floyd know that we did the best that we could.. You start feeling powerless. You try to flirt with the lawyers, just to see if youcan. Cabrera was relieved not to be picked; but as the trial wore on, she became more emotionally invested. G.S. not fluent in English). We did not identify ourselves amongst each other, so we did not say our names, occupations, or anything about our families.. The questions skirted several important topics. McKinsey Interview Questions For Gilmore Girls, Thanksgiving Spoon Side Dishes (Part Two Of Our Two-Part Spoon Thanksgiving Special, Feat. Once impaneled, the jurors role is to listen to the evidence conscientiously and not draw premature conclusions. To stay awake, she doodled everything she saw in the courtroom the judges signature feathered hairstyle, the bailiffs stern glance, an expressionless Franklin. The evidences and hearing of the case is heard by the alternate juror also. for cause. The judge won't. Number 96 was the juror number that had been assigned to Christensen. 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Each request will be considered by the judge and may or may not be allowed. After attorneys present their arguments, criminal prosecution rules stipulate that alternate jurors must be discharged when the jury goes into deliberations. Prosecutors would later connect him to more slayings, and detectives believe he is responsible for at least 25 deaths. White House Correspondents' Association / YouTube screen shot. He said in his experience, alternates are called upon once in every four or five trials. I just had a fascinating sit-down interview with one of the alternate jurors in the Derek Chauvin trial. >>Rebuttal Yet despite having expressed eminently valid and potentially disqualifying worries which were made more intense for Christensen because the trial was being televised live she was still placed on the jury. When the reality set in, she became excited about her role. He said in his experience, alternates are called upon once in every four or five trials. >>Motion for Directed Verdict/Dismissal States have the ability to grant someone more rights in terms of the number of jurors in a jury trial, despite the rulings of the United States Supreme Court, provided, of course, that no jury is consists of fewer than six persons. The automated recording system gives a disclaimer prior to calling someone that the phone calls are recorded and monitored. Similarly, an alternate juror sits and listens to evidence just like the other jurors but only deliberates and votes if one of the sitting jury members is unable to serve. Alternate jurors hear the evidence just as the other jurors do, but they don't participate in the deliberations unless they replace an original juror. 1. Mike Shannon, legendary Cardinals broadcaster, dead at 83, New drive-in coming to Edwardsville, slated to open this summer. If you have a differing point of view, that's perfectly fine, but don't be insulting or disrespectful. Addressing whether she wanted to serve on the jury at the start of the trial, the alternate juror, Lisa Christensen, specifically said that she " didn't know what the outcome was going to be . He was the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 in New York's Fourth Congressional District, and he frequently appears on national television and radio to give legal and political commentary. I could hear everything, Christensen said. I always thought juries had to be made up of twelve people. You realize you have more sympathy for old men than you do ineloquent teenageboys. The rules state that if a juror cant continue during deliberations, a mistrial must be declared unless the parties agree that the jury can proceed with fewer members. Presumably, this was to protect the jurors from being doxxed and subjected to intimidation and violence. Stephen Groves is a reporter covering South Dakota for the Associated Press. She couldnt help wondering what was happening inside the jury room which way were they leaning? The size of jury varies from state to state and depends to some extent on the type of case at trial. Cornell University Law School, Legal Information Institute: Rule 48 - Number of Jurors; Verdict; Polling, American Bar Association: How Courts Work. It begins when jury selection takes two days to complete, and continues when you are chosen last as an alternate, have to make an emergency call to a doctor to get your birth control refilled, and lose your wallet in a cab after the NYCPinup. They give one you agree with, but no one looks to you for approval while you sit in the back of the courtroom. An alternate juror is a spare, not unlike the spare tire for your car that rides along with you wherever you drive but is only used if one of your regular tires fails. >>Officers of the Court Akit checks on his inbox often.Questions welcomed too!Comments are moderated. In fact, they won't even know they are alternates. Then something changed, 7 hospitalized after driver in stolen car runs red light in San Bernardino, police say, Barstow police investigating after officer caught on video hitting man with a baton, Northern California town on edge after second fatal stabbing in a week, Man found guilty of murdering teens who ding-dong-ditched his house, Sacramento, San Francisco mayors take shots at each others city before NBA playoff game. 15. Similarly, an alternate juror sits and listens to evidence just like the other jurors but only deliberates and votes if one of the sitting jury members is unable to serve. Attorneyshave questioned potential jurorsabout their ability to keep an open mind, how they resolve conflicts, their views on the criminal justice system, and whether they felt safe serving on the jury. According to juror number 4, he and appellant are . Jurors, she knew, were supposed to keep it together. Second and beyond days will get the pay. That the court imposed such precautions means it had real concerns about the jurors physical safety. However, an alternate juror is not made a part of the jury that render verdict unless one of the other jurors become sick, injured, legally compromised, incapacitated, or has a family emergency. pic.twitter.com/HBrUU5Ge9A. But when asked how she would have voted, she said that she would have found Chauvin guilty. Copyright 2023 The Western Journal. Some days shed say a little prayer for the victims families when she got home, and in court she found herself engrossed in the testimony. >>Opening Statements When she showed up and saw about 300 other potential jurors, she was certain, and hopeful, shed get dismissed. Based on the answers given, each lawyer can excuse so many potential jurors for any reason, but they don't have an obligation to respond to why the juror was excused. 1 Juror number 4 told the court, after speaking with his son-in-law, he realized that he might know appellant. Top 10 Edwardsville restaurants ranked: But do you agree? The alternate juror also sits in a court and listens to the proceedings of a case. One night she could hardly make it home after testimony ended because of protesters blocking intersections. The Supreme Court has upheld verdicts of 11 to 1, 9 to 3, and 10 to 2, but most legal scholars agree that it would be unlikely for the Supreme court to uphold an 8 to 4 jury verdict. Additional jurors were traditionally designated at the outset of the trial, and excused at the close of the evidence if they had not been promoted to full service on account of the elimination of one of the original jurors. >>Diagram of How a Case Moves Through the Courts In the Bell corruption trial in 2013 a case focused on city employees inflating their salaries an alternate stepped in after a judge dismissed a juror who, through tears, complained others on the panel were picking on her. But a feeling that a criminal defendant is culpable on some level is hardly enough to support a conviction. Judges know that not being a part of the verdict, for some, can be a bitter deal and often go out of their way to lavish praise on alternates. That's so that the alternates don't yawn off during proceedings and are ready to step in if . For example, a juror can be dismissed for cause if he or she is a close relative of one of the parties or one of the lawyers, or if he or she works for a company that is part of the lawsuit. This is done to ensure that alternates pay just as close attention to the evidence as to the regular jurors do. General Mills is issuing a recall for some brands of its flour amid a salmonella outbreak that has been linked to flour. from U.C. As youre leaving the courthouse for the last time, a guy calls you and says he found your wallet in a cab. They shall receive the same compensation as other jurors. Joe Friedberg, a defense attorney, said he expected the judge to make the call to sequester alternates during jury deliberations. At first they think, Hey, Im on the team! Anthony said. 2. In such circumstances, an alternate juror will be dismissed from court with thanks. Isn't there concern that if jurors know in the beginning that they are alternates, these jurors may not be as attentive to testimony throughout the trial as they might otherwise be? 19. In her interview with Raguse, Christensen explained that the jurors, even when talking amongst themselves, identified themselves only by their assigned numbers. Alternate jurors participate in the trial proceedings but do not take part in deliberations unless they have been called to replace members of the jury. They are instructed by the judge not to discuss the case with outsiders or each other (until deliberations). Alternate Juror 1 was then questioned about the circumstances of the comment made by Juror 11. Your membership has expired - last chance for uninterrupted access to free CLE and other benefits. Legal experts say the final panelists chosen almost always serve as alternates, but court spokesman Kyle Christopherson has said that wouldnt necessarily be the case for Chauvins jury. WHAT ARE ALTERNATE JURORS? Christensen confirmed this to be the case, and admitted that initially, she did not know if she wanted to serve on the jury because she did not want to disappoint one group or the other, she did not want to go through rioting and destruction again and she was concerned about people coming to [her] house if they were not happy with the verdict.. The rules state that if a juror can't continue during deliberations, a mistrial must be declared unless the parties agree that the jury can proceed with fewer members. They cant be used to discriminate on the basis of race or sex. The process of questioning and excusing jurors continues until 12 persons are accepted as jurors for the trial.