Michael Jackson recieve\'s a Jury Summon

Jackson gets jury summons, but will he go?

10/20/05
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER


Singer requesting deferment

Ronald Reagan got a deferment because he was president. But will the King of Pop get out of jury duty in Santa Barbara County?

Michael Jackson, the world's most famous criminal defendant, recently received a jury summons at his Neverland Valley Ranch, the News-Press learned Wednesday.

But it seems unlikely that Mr. Jackson, who now lives in Bahrain, will become the world's most famous juror.

"He is permanently living outside of the United States," said Thomas Mesereau, who defended the singer in his recent child molestation trial. To avoid any penalty for being a no-show for jury duty, Mr. Jackson's lawyers have filed the necessary paperwork for a deferment.

That doesn't dampen speculation about the scene that would ensue if Mr. Jackson showed up for jury duty.

"I'm sure he'd receive a warm welcome from the District Attorney's Office," joked Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola School of Law who monitored Mr. Jackson's 4½-month trial in Santa Maria which ended in June with a full acquittal.

"This would give a new meaning to the phrase 'a jury of your peers,' " Ms. Levenson said. "This absolutely proves the system is random when it comes to selecting those who will receive jury summons."

People who deliberately avoid their civic duty may be found in contempt, fined up to $1,500 or even jailed. However, Jury Commissioner Gary Blair said it appears Mr. Jackson will be in the clear.

"All he has to do is show he has legal residency somewhere else and he'll be exempted," Mr. Blair said. "It's no big deal."

"The proper procedures are being followed," Mr. Mesereau said.

Mr. Jackson has been out of the country since his trial ended, but there is no indication he plans to get rid of his 2,000-acre bucolic estate.

After the media circus generated during his trial, it would seem the county courts wouldn't be so eager to invite him back. With the King of Pop seated in the jury box, even the most innocuous of cases would have brought an international spotlight to the Santa Maria courthouse again.

Santa Ynez Valley resident actress Bo Derek has received jury summonses at least twice and even served on one jury without much hubbub. But the jury commissioner said the security surrounding President Reagan would have been a mess -- as would another round with Mr. Jackson.

"You're not legally supposed to exempt someone just because they're a celebrity," Mr. Blair said. "I summoned Ronald Reagan when he was president but granted him a deferment until he was out of office."

Ms. Levenson noted: "It's just one of those ironies of life that he'd be called as a juror. But on a more serious note, if I were a criminal defendant, I'd welcome him with open arms.

"He's been through the system, and I'm sure he appreciates the presumption of innocence more than any other person who might be called for jury service."

Source: http://news.newspress.com/topsports/102005jackson.htm
 
Although it does sound overtly ironic, I pray that Michael is excused from carrying out these duties. I presume that Michael does realise the immense responsibility of carrying out such an important service, but because of his resent ordeal it may cause great distress apon him.

But thinking Michael as a Juror.. :laugh
 

Kanya

New member
Mercy me! I was not in the least prepared to read such an article...

"He's been through the system, and I'm sure he appreciates the presumption of innocence more than any other person who might be called for jury service." -- apart from "the presumption" word, the assertion seems fair. The "criminal defendant" syntagme, not ever. And no one should be forced to accept such a taxing decision. And do they know for sure that Michael has settled in Bahrain, or even the fact that he is there at this specific conjecture?... ...........

And even though Michael should be viewed as a most ardent striver against injustice, (the saint name he bears fathoming just that) the latter would only return as a boomerang to his intentions, as well-meaning they may be,as awfully myriads of times. The deferment request is, indeed, a sensible procedure to comply with for the time being. Heaven forbid that another unjust penalty might occur to him!!..The very one and only justice system to have need of him as a juror?...Unbelievable, my God!...

It would be a miracle unless the evilly-intended humans or the disbelievers in Michael and his innocence were "condoning" this kind of summon adressed to him. And Michael has had more than enough and ached more than enough and for too long to carry more heaviest boulders of smarting , inconsiderate replies or shameless misdeeds upon his shoulders, on behalf of so many. Being a juror compiles stacks of stress and unrest, or at least, it is supposed to. And..for Michael to undergo that...I do not presume that he is eager for that...His health and cloudfree mind and bliss and the like are what is primordial to him.

I pray for a most sensible solution to be chosen.
 
Mercy me! I was not in the least prepared to read such an article...

"He's been through the system, and I'm sure he appreciates the presumption of innocence more than any other person who might be called for jury service." -- apart from "the presumption" word, the assertion seems fair. The "criminal defendant" syntagme, not ever. And no one should be forced to accept such a taxing decision. And do they know for sure that Michael has settled in Bahrain, or even the fact that he is there at this specific conjecture?... ...........

And even though Michael should be viewed as a most ardent striver against injustice, (the saint name he bears fathoming just that) the latter would only return as a boomerang to his intentions, as well-meaning they may be,as awfully myriads of times. The deferment request is, indeed, a sensible procedure to comply with for the time being. Heaven forbid that another unjust penalty might occur to him!!..The very one and only justice system to have need of him as a juror?...Unbelievable, my God!...

It would be a miracle unless the evilly-intended humans or the disbelievers in Michael and his innocence were "condoning" this kind of summon adressed to him. And Michael has had more than enough and ached more than enough and for too long to carry more heaviest boulders of smarting , inconsiderate replies or shameless misdeeds upon his shoulders, on behalf of so many. Being a juror compiles stacks of stress and unrest, or at least, it is supposed to. And..for Michael to undergo that...I do not presume that he is eager for that...His health and cloudfree mind and bliss and the like are what is primordial to him.

I pray for a most sensible solution to be chosen.

:cryptic Man.. you are really deep
 

SpecialJanet25

New member
Originally posted by HeavenSent
:laugh

But its oh so ironic. The same system who tried to shit on him, needs him now.

:crackingu You got that right, Carla.

He don't need to go back into that court after all the shit he been through.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
LOL @ Jamie.

Anyway. MJ isn't going to be a dang juror. No judge would choose him out of the 45902859825 potential jurors that were summoned along with him. No judge wants Michael Jackson on their jury pool, hell I wouldn't. That would cause all kinds of crap during court.

The lawyers would be like "Objection your honor, the witness is staring at the juror."

"OBJECTION! Your honor, the defendant is smiling at juror #4."

The the media would be all up in court trying to see how MJ performs as a juror. The the fans...

Heckkkk no.

...tsk tsk.

It's not that big of a deal Kanya. :laugh
 

mjlovergurl

New member
that is soo wierd. Michael as a juror? i would be pretty cool to have mj in a room with 12 other ppl. if i lived in California thats one jury i would beg to be in just to be near Micheal! lol also i didnt know Micheal lives in Bahrain now. i though he was just on vacation there? does he still even live at Neverland?
 
The lawyers would be like "Objection your honor, the witness is staring at the juror."

"OBJECTION! Your honor, the defendant is smiling at juror #4."

The the media would be all up in court trying to see how MJ performs as a juror. The the fans...

Heckkkk no.

:crackingu
 

HeavenSent

New member
Originally posted by zenab_blackorwhite
wow ! how cool ! i think that suits him cuz he's a gentlemen and he's handsome !

what does being a gentleman and handsome have to do with being a juror??
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
LOL Jamie... Deep?

I was gonna go for long-winded, and prehistoric, but okay, deep it is.
 
LOL Jamie... Deep?

I was gonna go for long-winded, and prehistoric, but okay, deep it is.

:laugh

Well after reading that elaborate response several times and attempting to understand it's meaning, it completely exhausted my brain therefore it affected my ability to collect words to express my feeling towards it.. So yeah, lets blame it on an exhausted brain ;) LOL
 

DarkChild

New member
WTf does being a rapper have to do with shit? Rappers are still people you know, and have as much chance as Michael as being summoned for jury duty. That was a dumbass comment if I ever saw one :laugh but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt cause you're twee lol.

And LOL Michael being a juror? Thats an article I never would have expected to read...like, ever.
 
Top