Yesterday I went for jury duty and was a little excited to go. I have never been part of jury duty selections or served as a juror but I was open to the idea and wanted to experience it. Well, not so lucky me... we were told by the lawyers that we were there for one of the hardest kind of cases. Aggravated Sexual Assault on a 6 yr old girl. (the same age as Skyler)
I was quickly not so happy to be there....There were 72 of us in the room for questioning during the jury selection process and they were asking TOUGH questions that were making a lot of people cry and even stand up and say that they had heard enough and needed to be excused. The attorneys said that the little girl will take the stand and talk about these grown up issues during the trial. I was so glad that I was not picked as I wasn't sure how I would deal with that... Then I thought to myself that I was being selfish because this little girl was forced into this with no choice and she now needs people like jurors to stand up for her and I am sitting her thinking "I can't handle hearing this"??? I am not a very outspoken person when I am in a large crowd but when they were talking about the sentencing if he were found guilty and that we would have to decide that as well. We were told that it is a wide range and that he could get anywhere from probation to 99 years They asked us if we can decided with these ranges....I raised my hand and said... "If he were found guilty there is no way that I could give him probation....no way at all" I wanted to say a lot more but at least I said that.... It is a hard and very sad case!!!
I always hear these stories on the news from time to time but something about being in that room talking to the attorneys with the accused man in the room made it all so very real and in your face. The man looked about mid to late 30's, clean cut and I would even say nice looking had I met him on the street. Not someone that would give you the creeps. He was facing us but never really looked at any of us. Really makes you think. I have talked to Skyler in the past and I plan on it again in the next few days. Its hard because I don't want to scare her but I want her to be aware of the issue.
As I sit here with a heavy heart, all that I can say is....Please pray for this little girl and all of the others who have faced this issue.
Time doesn't make it better
7 years ago
1 comments:
That is so, so, sad. I know that all sin is the same in God's eyes--it's all just "sin", there's no black or white about it. But, I really struggle with that thought here on earth b/c I feel that those sins that take away a precious child's innocence is one of the worst you can possibly make. B/c once that is gone, it's gone forever. Being a mother, my blood just boils at the thought of someone doing that to my children, or any children at all. I wouldn't have been selected as a jury member b/c I would have been sure to speak out about it. Sorry for the long comment, it's just one of those things that really gets me upset!!
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