Thanked and Excused!

Three words I was very excited to hear today.

For awhile there, I started thinking the defense lawyers were actually going to leave me on this jury.  (As a rule, it is the defense lawyers who strike me from their juries -- that is, except when they run out of challenges so we're stuck with each other.  But, when I have been excused, it's nearly always been defense lawyers.  It isn't that I necessarily present myself as having a prosecutorial bent -- it's that, because I work for the Court of Appeal, a good part of my time at work is spent, well, affirming convictions.)

I did my very best to honestly answer the questions asked during jury selection -- while still doing my best to imply that they didn't want me on their jury.  And yet, they seemed to be striking jurors left and right, but left me up there.  
 
I actually resorted to thinking evil thoughts.  I don't actually think I can project my thoughts, but I did think that I could maybe advance my cause if I stared at the defendants and their lawyers with a look of absolute hatred.  Even contempt, if I could swing it.  

I got a pretty nasty inner monologue going -- mentally insulting everything from counsel's outfit to her meritless objections.  I even started working up a good hate over how long the three lawyers were taking in a whispered coversation -- then I realized they were probably discussing who to strike from the jury pool, so sending them hate vibes for that was very likely counterproductive.  I had just started in on thinking about how one of the defendants was sitting there with a very smug unconcerned expression which probably meant he was totally guilty anyway, when his lawyer thanked and excused me.  (And in time for me to get out of there and make my flight, too!)  I immediately switched to mentally thanking counsel for her good timing, and applauding her good sense in jury selection ... and then hit the road before she changed her mind.