A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Courthouse

Of the many Groucho Marx lines I’ve committed to memory, one of the more profound ones was, in fact, sent by the legendary funnyman via telegram to the Friars Club of Beverly Hills:
“I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member.”
I gained renewed respect for that line after I was kicked off a jury last week.
Well, to be fair, I was never technically on the jury... For about a month and a half, I was a “prospective juror” on Colorado’s only death penalty case waiting to go to trial.
For 38 days, I pondered over and over the responsibilities of the possibility of having another person’s life in my hands along with 11 other citizens charged with their civic duty.
Thankfully, I don’t have to think about that anymore. The writing was on the wall long before I filled out the juror questionnaire.
Know about the case? Yep. Seen media coverage of it? Check. Already formulated a personal opinion on innocence or guilt? As a citizen, yes. As a journalist, no.
But I feel bad because in those 38 days, my mind was completely changed on the subject. When I was first summoned to jury duty, I had some pretty strong opinions on the matter as a Colorado resident, as an Auroran... as a human being.
Looking back, I’m not entirely sure what I think about murder, the death penalty and the like, but I do know my mindset on the issues has been changed when forced to think about them.
For me, the verdict is in: I probably didn’t belong anywhere near that courtroom as one to pass judgment, but I’m better for the process. Case dismissed.