Juror 54

I fulfilled my jury duty obligation yesterday. I took the METRO Red Line from Quitman Station to Preston Station, had a walk of just over three blocks, and got to the Jury Assembly Room at about 7:40 am ahead of the 8:00 am scheduled arrival time. The check-in process was smooth and efficient. At around 9:30 am, just over 60 of us were put into a juror pool, assigned to a criminal district court and ushered to just outside the courtroom.

I was assigned as Juror 54 as in the featured photo. We finally got into the courtroom for the voir dire thing, heard from the judge, the state and the defense attorneys. It was a sexual assault of a child trial.

It was interesting to hear folks from the juror pool comment on questions and matters raised by the judge and attorneys. I had to respond to questions and comments several times.

We had a couple of bathroom breaks.

12 jurors and 2 alternates were going to be selected and seated.

After our final break, the jury members were selected.

Juror 52 was the second alternate and final selection. Selections are handled in chronological order, so I just missed out.

Those of us not selected were then sent home at around 1:30 pm.

I will say that the judge looked like he did a good job running his courtroom.

This was a new criminal district court recently created by the Texas Legislature and the judge was a MAGA Gov. Greg Abbott appointee.

In his introduction, the judge let us know that he ran for Harris County District Attorney in 2024 and barely lost.

Afterwards, I talked to someone I am very close to who works at the courthouse, and she asked me if I wanted to serve. I responded that the judge said the trial would start next Monday, lasting three to four days, and the jurors would have to be there from 11 am to around 6 pm every day. I didn’t have a problem with that. If I had been selected fine, if not, that is also fine.  I am certainly not a person who goes to jury duty hoping to get selected. I guess there are some folks who do. Not me.

I got $30 in jury pay for showing up. If I had gotten selected, it would have been $58 for each additional day.

Instead of sending us a check in the mail for jury service, they gave us a debit card on site with $30 loaded in that you must use within the next 90 days.

That is good for a couple of number one Whataburger meals and some leftover change.

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From today’s Chron:

Harris County commissioners voted 4-1 Thursday to pass a motion condemning the Department of Homeland Security’s unprecedented deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in cities across the country. 

Republican Commissioner Tom Ramsey cast the lone dissenting vote. The move came after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens — Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, and Renee Good, also 37, and a mother of three — in Minnesota in January. Their deaths have sparked nationwide outrage. 

Ramsey is a moron for sure.

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On January 30, 1969, the Beatles performed their rooftop concert. That was 57 years today. Get back.

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Also, from the Chron:

The Houston Astros added to their pitching depth Thursday by acquiring right-hander Kai-Wei Teng from the San Francisco Giants in a trade for minor-league catcher Jancel Villarroel.

Have a nice weekend.