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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1871371
The courtroom was filled to capacity Monday with the first wave of potential
jurors scheduled for individual questioning in the Kobe Bryant trial. That
meant that 14 of the 25 of us who have courtroom seats to cover the trial
were asked to sit in the jury box to hear instructions from the judge. We
were sent out of the room later as the private questioning began, but for a
few moments we had an extraordinary view of a man on trial for rape sitting
in front of 41 people, some of whom ultimately could decide his guilt or
innocence.
Usually, I sit two rows behind Bryant and see only a profile of his face and
the back of his head. But now, I could see what juror No. 6 will see: his
face. And right then, he didn't look pleased. In fact, he looked extremely
uncomfortable, alternately pursing or licking his lips, clasping and
unclasping his hands in front of him while squinting at the transcript
monitor a few feet away. He looked anxious and agitated.
The people behind him didn't look so comfortable, either. They had already
been waiting 90 minutes in the courthouse hallway while the judge was ruling
what portions of jury questioning would be open to the public and media and
what would be heard behind closed doors.
At one point, Bryant appeared and waded his way through the group to use the
restroom. They couldn't help staring, even though they tried not to show it,
eyes shifting even if heads stayed still. It was startling to see the
contrast -- a tall, African-American NBA icon in an expensive suit walking
through a group of men and women, most of whom were white, dressed in
mountain casual.
Once seated in the courtroom, the potential jurors eyed us as curiously as
we eyed them and then listened intently as the judge read instructions. Some
were young, attractive blondes -- similar looking to the accuser in this
case -- others were athletic-looking young men, one in a Boston Red Sox cap.
A few were older, a few were Hispanic.
One man brought an infant sucking a pacifier and a toddler-aged little girl,
who sat in the seat next to him, gripping his hand tightly. What was he
thinking this morning: "Hey, kids, wanna go to a rape trial?"
The media was cleared from the courtroom and, like most of the proceedings
thus far, the drama continued behind closed doors.
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In article <ch0om0$93r@dispatch.concentric.net>, s_knight8
<s_knight8nospam@hotmail.com> wrote:
Once seated in the courtroom, the potential jurors eyed us as curiously as
we eyed them and then listened intently as the judge read instructions. Some
were young, attractive blondes -- similar looking to the accuser in this
case --
Will be peremptorily challenged, as these hot blondes want to have sex
with Kobe.
others were athletic-looking young men, one in a Boston Red Sox cap.
Will aslo be challenged, as they are likely Kobe fans.
A few were older, a few were Hispanic.
The oldsters and the Mexicans may be acceptable to the prosecution,
assuming they dislike negroes, as most oldsters and Mexicans do.
One man brought an infant sucking a pacifier and a toddler-aged little girl,
who sat in the seat next to him, gripping his hand tightly. What was he
thinking this morning: "Hey, kids, wanna go to a rape trial?"
He's probably angling for a way to sue the city (and collect "psychic
damage" payments for his daughter) when the questions about oral sex,
ejaculation on a woman's face, etc., and whether jurors are biased for
or against these questons....
Of course, any potential juror could get off the case by saying "I
don't want to be in the same room with a nigger."
Equally, of course, answering a question in this honest a way (assuming
it is honest, but who would know?) is considered a hate crime. Which is
why our very jury selection process, besides favoring doddering old
postal workers and stay at home negro breeders, as in the O.J. trial,
essentially requires people to lie. I know I lied when I was questioned
for jury duty.
--Tim May
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One man brought an infant sucking a pacifier and a toddler-aged little
girl who sat in the seat next to him, gripping his hand tightly. What was
he thinking this morning: "Hey, kids, wanna go to a rape trial?"
Or maybe he cannot afford child care and is hoping (or praying) he will
not be chosen for that circus. Jury pay is a cruel joke for those of us
who do not work for large corporations.
Pete
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