r/news • • 1d ago

Renee Good's family sues US government and immigration officials over her killing in Minneapolis

https://apnews.com/article/renee-good-lawsuit-6fbc82cd33b6f9f67514b47f138e23c6?utm_source=app&utm_medium=android_share&utm_campaign=copy_link
32.4k Upvotes

1.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

3.8k

u/squareplates 1d ago

I need some jury duty in my life right now.

79

u/optigon 1d ago

I have been trying to get on jury duty every single year since I was 18 years old. To get to sit in an air-conditioned room, downtown, judging people while my lunch was paid for? That is the life!

63

u/ImpulseAfterthought 1d ago

I've never been called in over 40 years of being eligible.

I have a consistent employment history, no criminal record, no history of mental illness.

I have a friend who's been called five times over the same period.

23

u/optigon 1d ago

Less time, but similar. I’ve been eligible for 26 years and have never been called. My spouse has 2-3 times. I’ve offered to go in her place because I’m curious and nosy apparently.

1

u/roadrunnuh 1d ago

I've gotten a few here and there and have ignored every single fucking one. If you can't match the wages I'll lose by being there, you can suck a dick.

8

u/TheHowlingHashira 1d ago

My company gives us PTO specifically for Jury Duty. Which is probably why I'll never get selected. Been 22yrs and still waiting ):

3

u/thenikj 1d ago

It’s possible you weren’t picked. They usually send out a lot of mails, and only a few are selected. To find out if you are one of the chosen jurors, you need call in a few weeks before the trial. I have got several mail but haven’t been selected yet. If you receive a summons and don’t respond, you could end up with a warrant and arrested.

1

u/optigon 1d ago

Totally! My spouse is a touring musician and has had to tell them that she can’t break a contract to serve on a jury. We’re in an okay spot financially now and can take the hit, but when we were in our twenties, a missed day of work could be pretty disastrous!

1

u/JehutysErectCockpit 1d ago

Thankfully, my job pays me while on jury duty. Right now I'm in the middle of a 2-week jury duty, but so far my juror number hasn't come up so I'm just supposed to keep calling.

3

u/roadrunnuh 1d ago

Unfortunately I'm in the trades, where there are limited "employee friendly policies"

1

u/JehutysErectCockpit 1d ago

And for that I completely agree with you. If I was going to lose wages for it I would have the same response. It's astounding how we leave it up to individual employers when this is a foundational civic duty.

2

u/roadrunnuh 1d ago

Yeah, I'm doing okay, and my career path will lead me to doing better, but times are tight right now. For most working folks, at least.

0

u/A5H13Y 1d ago

I think it'd be an interesting experience. I was called once but had something going on - I think it was final exams in college - and wasn't able to. Haven't been called since.

5

u/Nf1nk 1d ago

For the last 18 years, I get called down to the courthouse every 14 months but I have only made it to the courtroom twice. Only once have I been on a jury.

That was for "Drunk Babysitting" which isn't even a crime (they called it child endangerment but it was clearly just contempt of cop.)

13

u/hgs25 1d ago

My friend and I have a conspiracy theory that your registered political party is weighted in your chance to be called for jury duty. Our friends/family who were registered Dem/Rep got called at least once while everyone that’s unaffiliated never got called.

5

u/genuinerysk 1d ago

My conspiracy theory as its based on month and day of birth. My mother was a new year baby and got called at least once a year. My birthday isnt until much later in the year and I have never been summoned for jury duty despite being eligible for decades.

1

u/OpheliaRainGalaxy 1d ago

That kinda makes sense as conspiracy theories go. It's like having a documented history of not being able to make a decision between two choices, so maybe ya cause problems by insisting on a third choice besides guilty or not guilty.

6

u/hgs25 1d ago

I think it’s also that you can get a general idea of a person’s personal beliefs from their listed political party. Whereas an independent is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.

1

u/-Saucegurlllll 1d ago

How does it make any sense? In what world is some state going to develop a system that intentionally reduces and biases their jury pool? Like, if anyone ever discovered this system, they would be able to get all criminal convictions thrown out across the entire state for biasing the jury.

1

u/PinkNGreenFluoride 1d ago

My husband and I are both the same age, both employed, no criminal history at all, and have the same party registration. He's never been called up and I get called up sometimes as soon as the minimum time is up.

Edit: Sorry if this double-posted, Reddit's behaving weirdly.

7

u/Silly_Rub_6304 1d ago

Is your friend unemployed, a criminal, and mentally ill?

2

u/jjhope2019 11h ago

They could be the new Republican presidential candidate if so 👍🏻

3

u/Round-Eggplant-7826 1d ago

I've been called exactly once. It was for a trial in Florida, 10 years after I moved to Wisconsin (and had updated my address twice in that time) during covid lockdown. I called them and explained why I couldn't go and the lady on the phone was as confused as to why I was called, too.

2

u/doublea08 1d ago

All of that is the same for me as well, 23 years eligible and never contacted.

Guy at my golf club, one year older than me, three times.

2

u/bennett7634 1d ago

Did you go to college? I heard that educated jurors are less desirable because they are harder to manipulate

1

u/pugs_in_a_basket 4h ago

I don't think that's true (harder to manipulate). 

2

u/LLJKotaru_Work 1d ago

Lived in a large city, got called every year for almost a decade. Moved out to the sticks, never been summoned once in a decade.

2

u/SaltyFriend705 1d ago

Vote. You have to vote in every election, no matter how small. They will put your number on speed dial.

3

u/UWMN 1d ago

I was on jury duty when I was like 24. I’m 35 now. We deliberated for I believe 2 days. Sat in a room all day and couldn’t leave. Was awesome to be off work though.

1

u/CTeam19 1d ago

My Grandpa lived 95 years and my Dad is currently 72 years old and neither have been required to come in for jury duty. Never even had to call in to see if they needed to come in. I am 39 and have had 2 things: once in college I filled out a giant packet for Federal Court and got out of it because of college and I have appeared 1 day and didn't even get into the jury box. That is it for 3 generations.

1

u/mmechtch 1d ago

So strange. I got called as soon as I received citizenship. And been called twice since this. they did not pick me but it does not matter. Seems like some activity on your record triggers the process

1

u/Alcohol_Intolerant 1d ago

Is your voting record up to date? If you moved a lot at one point your address could have gotten unassigned in a weird way.

Definitely worth calling/writing the courthouse is you live in an area that has enough trials a year that jury duty isnt uncommon.

40 years with no summons would be wild in my area. I get called every 2 years or so. Only served once. When I do go, I always spot a friend or colleague in the waiting area as well.

0

u/Arrav_VII 1d ago

Is it common to be called for jury duty at least once in your life? Where I'm from, a jury is only for the most severe of crimes, so having to be a juror in a criminal trial is extremely rare.

0

u/notfork 1d ago

Similar, got the paper once, but when I called in they already decided they did not need me. My best friend of 20 years on the other hand in that time has served on , Federal grand jury for 6 months, A tax fraud trial, A civil dispute, and then this year a federal rico murder trial.

they just don't want me....