I think I may be the last person on the planet to see this video, and certainly I'm late in posting it, but it's mesmerizing. It's almost like a Monty Python sketch, with the excess of politeness, the apologies, and the calm displayed by the victim.
But I'm guessing it was a real gun, which might have been used, and the robber's underlying sense of desperation makes this a bizarre and frightening exchange.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
5 comments:
Comments posted to this blog are NOT the opinion of the Travis County D.A.'s office, under any circumstances. They are only the personal, non-representative opinion of D.A. Confidential if posted under his name.
I welcome all comments, as long as they are expressed with politeness and respect. I will delete all comments that I deem to be personal attacks, or that are posted merely to antagonize or insult.
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Highlights of deleberation:
ReplyDeleteThe minute the bailiff locked us in the deliberation about half of the jurors made jokes about the DA's opening and closing statements. They laughed and wondered if she thought she was on a courtroom drama on tv. Considering how horrific the trial was, and sitting through the testimony, esp. from the victims, I was truely perplexed by the immediacy of their humor, for me this was a somber experience, I didn't find anything funny. Three of the jurors chose to make the deliberation about them and their own ego's and no matter how many times others of us would interrupt them and try to bring it back to issue at hand, we still had to hear their life stories which ultimately impacted and skewed their vote. There were 12 counts to consider, all 12 had lesser charges attached. Three jurors argued that intent of the person was not to be fairly determined that you could never judge another persons intention, and more specifically, they had convinced themselves that it was plausable that this father was only playing a vampire game when he left hickey's on the necks of his 10 and 13 yr old's necks with bruising that remained for two weeks. I don't know about any one else, but I don't now how a reasonable person could think that a father sucking on his baby girl's necks is just normal playing that felony intent could not be proven, and at the same time acknowledge that the DA did prove beyond reasonable doubt that this man had been molesting his children. I've digressed...sorry. The jury was hung because while everyone agreed a felony had been comitted, it was a constant 12-1 vote on which of the 12 charge,s was the felony. Furthermore, I refused to let this pediphile walk with the lessor charge of misdemeanors, purposely hoping that a hung jury would cause the DA to retry the case, hopefully picking a better jury pool of more reasonable people instead of these CA crazies. OK...sorry, the question is... was I wrong to not agree to the lessor charges hoping the DA could and would retry, hopefully getting a felony conviction? Secondly, after court, the judge requested that we meet with the DA and defense attorney in the hall to discuss why we were a hung jury. Ummmm....this I could not believe... do they do this in other states? I for one was very uncomfortable with this, and it sickened me to see most of the jurors behaving as if this meeting with both sides in the very public hallway were a celebration, like it made them important in some way...I only stayed for a couple of minutes, I only wanted to know that the DA would retry this case. Furthermore, it's lunacy to me to discuss with the defense attorney of a pediphile what he could do better next time to convince the jurors in the next trial. Why would a reasonable person want to help him do this? God help us all if this is to be our legal system. Do you discuss with the defense and the hung jury after the case in TX.? Sorry for the long dribble, but as I stated, I'm searching for answers...
Best,
Reasonability in Question
Sorry, just in case the first part of my last comment didn't go through...I stumbled upon your blog while searching for answers. Nice blog by the way...I'm a midwest girl now living in CA. I find the attitudes of most people here just crazy...Last wk I served on a jury for the first time and the experience left me with more questions and fear than answers. Everything from jury selection to the end meeting in the hallway with the DA and defense attorney...actually that last part has me reeling...Now I question my own reasonability and sanity. I hope you can help.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Reasonability in Question
Dear Assistant,
ReplyDeleteSorry, one more question. As a DA, would you find it helpful, would you even consider a letter from me outlining my concerns and experience in deliberation to be useful? I'm having a hard time finding closer to my experience and the fact that this man is not in jail yet...I feel powerless to help this situation, I was thinking if I wrote the DA from this case that it could help her retry the case and bring closer for me. Any thoughts?
Best,
Reasonability in Question
RiQ: I'm sorry your experience wasn't as you might have hoped. Had you been a juror in Travis County, Texas, I'm sure you'd have had a much more fulfilling experience. :)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, as a prosecutor I will take all the feedback I can get. I don't think there'd be any harm at all in writing a detailed, polite, specific letter to the DA's office to start a dialogue.
One thing to remember: the system is never going to be perfect. It's set up to deal with many many cases, and to ensure that every defendant gets a fair trial. Sometimes those peripheral to the central goal of the justice system (those working in it, and jurors, for example) can find it frustrating and unsatisfying. But the trick is to remember it's not about you and me, but about a larger goal.
I hope you manage to find some answers and some closure.
Dear DA,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your advice, I appreciate you taking the time to answer. I have started my letter, but am trying to stream line and polish...as you know, I tend to get a little wordy. :] Oddly enough the judge sent a letter, more like a thank you letter and a survey for us to take. I havn't responded yet. I'm still hung up on wether I woud be helping the defense if I responded! I KNOW... 'LET IT GO!'
Best regards,
RiQ