On June 20, 2019, I was required to report for jury duty. (Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA)
This is something I did not want to do and had prayed, asking God to make a way for me to not have to go to this unless HE wanted me to go. I checked the previous evening, and my jury number was one that still needed to report. So that morning I went to the courthouse.
Once there, we were told there was only 1 potential jury trial for that day, and that even if a jury was needed for that trial, it would not require everyone who had been called to report.
(Seemed like another opportunity for me to not have to be on a jury, I happily thought.)
But a little later it was announced that the 1 trial would be a jury trial and I was one of 18 people called to report to the court room for jury selection. Of the 18 people, 6 would be chosen for the trial.
I prayed asking God to help me during the jury questioning and selection process. My personality is such that I'm uncomfortable having attention on me. I'm not at all a public speaker, even with a very limited audience like in a court room.
Two things were brought to my mind ...
- "Just answer questions truthfully"
- For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. (Luke 21:15)
***
When we got to the court room we were told that this was a criminal trial.
The judge started questioning us by asking that anyone who would have a hardship by serving on a 1 or 1-1/2 day trial to raise their hands. I raised my hand. When the judge directed her attention to me, I told about Joan living here and that it would be much better for me to not need to serve even the rest of that day.
(I hoped that I might be excused from the jury based on this, but the judge just made some notes and moved on.)
She asked another question about whether anyone had something in their lives that would make it hard for them to devote full attention on the trial. I again raised my hand, but when the judge saw my hand she quickly added "unless I have already heard from you."
***
A short time later she asked for anyone to raise their hands if they thought it would be hard for them to find a defendant innocent if the defendant didn't testify. I considered this question and realized that I would wonder why the defendant didn't give his testimony, what was going on in this? So I raised my hand. The judge asked me why I would find this a problem. I explained my concern. The judge then proceeded to talk at length about the law and that under the USA law a person is innocent unless proven guilty, so the defendant doesn't have to give testimony, that the burden of proof is on the prosecution. She again asked me if, given the law, would I still have a problem if the defendant didn't testify? I replied that I thought I would.
Later the prosecuting attorney asked questions of the potential jury. In questioning me, he again brought up what the judge had explained about the law. I again told him what I had already told the judge. He then asked if any others felt the same way. Two other people raised their hands. He began questioning them, and it was apparent that they had similar concerns and, in their answers, even expanded on what I had said.
Lastly, the defense attorney asked questions. At one point she asked us to raise our hands if we would take into consideration prior police involvement when considering the guilt or innocence of a person. I again raised my hand.
The defense attorney asked why I would do this.
I explained that I was reminded of two incidents and told about these incidents ...
1) A young man I once knew was arrested multiple times (drug charges), and continued his illegal behavior until he was finally found guilty and imprisoned.
2) The other was an account Joan had told me of a trial for which she was initially selected to sit on the jury several years ago. (Joan landed up being removed from the jury before the trial began because a realtor in that town, who was going to testify on behalf of the defendant, spoke with Joan about the trial, and Joan reported this to bailiff and judge excused her from the jury.) The defendant was accused of Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
At the end of the trial, the jury found the man innocent. About two weeks later, he was again driving drunk and killed someone.
When I told that the man killed someone a short time after being found innocent by the jury, the defense attorney laughed and said, "That's a very strong example!"
The defense attorney asked if anyone else felt like I did on this subject. Again, two other people raised their hands.
Finally the questioning was completed. I was very relieved this was over.
***
No surprise, I was dismissed from the jury. I think all of the other people who raised their hands in agreement to what I had said were dismissed as well.
I was so glad to not have to serve on a jury. The way questions were asked is difficult, and the law itself, gets so twisted.
As I review what happened, I can see I was delivered by simply being truthful and speaking what I was given at the moment, just as I had been reminded to do when asking God for help with the jury questioning and selection.
And I think others with the same concerns I had were helped by my speaking up.
Also, I laugh when recalling how many times I raised my hand, when I really hate drawing attention to myself.
***
One other thing ... after I answered the question about being able to find a person innocent if they didn't testify, and I said I would wonder why they didn't testify, thoughts came accusing me, reminding me that Joan was told by God to not testify in one of the court trials she was in many years ago.
I immediately began praying, asking God whether I had answered wrongly.
I was reminded that it was God who told Joan not to testify. It was not some kind of legal strategy.
A little later I was also reminded that Paul testified for himself in Acts 24.
1-2 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him ...
10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered,
***
Comments by Joan Boney ... Satan comes immediately to try to steal the word or to try to make us think we did wrong when we did what God wanted us to do.
Mark 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Pam, having the Holy Spirit in her, judged when the evil thought came to try to make her think she did wrong. And she held to the correct way, not allowing herself to live in torment of devils.
When we do right, following God, often thoughts will come to try to condemn us in that which we did.
And often other people will condemn us.
We stabilize ourselves by turning to God in prayer for HIS view of that which we did.
Acts 2:40 Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
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