Article January 14, 2013 Issue

To 'hold crime in check'

Lynn Buckley-Quirk

Recently, I was called to jury service. I went willingly, but with a sense that I was simply fulfilling my civic duty. Beyond that, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

But later as I reflected on my experience, I realized the lessons I learned went far beyond the understanding I gained from being a part of the judicial process—as important as that is.

My service lasted only one day because the defendant changed his plea from innocent to guilty just before the final step of jury selection took place. The judge later told us that the defendant saw the prospective jurors and realized the evidence the jury would hear would undoubtedly lead to a guilty verdict. He even confessed to another crime, unsolved up to then. The judge expressed gratitude that because we met our jury obligation, justice was served—and we were dismissed.

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To 'hold crime in check'

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