TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN ......
If only you knew ...
how we twelve jurors
struggled to comply with the admonitions of the judge
to not share, research, or discuss anything,
anything at all
of the testimony we were about to hear
in the case before the court.
If only you knew ...
how those testimonies
touched us all deeply and revealed to this juror
how human behavior has a dark side,
and lurking beneath a fragile skin
often rears its ugly head and shows
how some can be dealt a sorry hand in the
game of life.
If only you knew ...
when we were sent to deliberate
how we struggled to assimilate
seven weeks of testimony in the form of transcripts,
very few records of evidence and
the judge's instructions to the jury.
If only you knew ...
how much this jury was organized, collaborative
and committed to delivering a verdict,
each strung out by loss of sleep,
with our presiding juror
rallying us to the task at hand
If only you knew ...
that on this third day of deliberations
we were almost there
and had reached a decision on
one of the two cases.
If only you knew ...
that when the bailiff knocked on the door,
a smile on his face, and
announced the judge would call us in to court
in about half an hour,
we scurried to return to the process
not knowing what would come.
If only you knew ...
that when we were seated before the court
and heard the judge announce that the parties
had reached a settlement in this long trial,
the words “ladies and gentlemen of the jury
we thank you for your service, and you are now dismissed”
sounded rather hollow
as we trudged back to the jury room.
If only you knew .....
that the tears that fell while driving
the 35 miles home today
were not for me, but for those who had to reveal
the most intimate and personal details of their lives
to a group of twelve strangers.
I only hope ...
although I will never know,
that the parties involved in this case
that has been "settled"
will find peace.
Juror #3
August 20, 2015
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