Jury Service Summons

[Marcia Moore]

     I am one of the 1,000 people who received a summons for jury service in Greenwood County for the upcoming trial of Sheriff Matt Samuels.  I have been ordered to appear on Tuesday Oct. 2. 
     Section # 5, under the heading "Excuses from Jury Service" begins like this:  Under the law, the judge is permitted to excuse you only if your presence is required elsewhere for pubic welfare, health or safety............
     Now I am wondering.... does this mean if a potential juror had plans that day to give a speech on sexually transmitted diseases, abstinence, or something similar, would they be excused from jury service?  If one worked in a gynecologist's office somewhere, wouldn't this mean that they would probably be excused, too?   

[Janet Harrington]

No, I don't believe so.  To get out of jury duty, one must have a really, really viable reason.  Mine have always been, I don't like the sheriff, so I don't think it would do for me to serve on a jury where he was a witness.  Ha Ha

[Marcia Moore]

Yes, but my summons said if my presence was required elsewhere for PUBIC welfare, health or safety..... not PUBLIC welfare, health or safety.

[Teresa]

Yes, but my summons said if my presence was required elsewhere for PUBIC welfare, health or safety..... not PUBLIC welfare, health or safety.

[W. Gray]

Actually I dont think the sheriff is on trial but his killer is.

With 7,000 people in Greenwood County and a lot fewer than that eligible for jury duty, you must not be the only one in your area receiving a summons.

Can you explain why they are bringing this guy to trial almost three years after he shot and killed the sheriff?

[Wilma]

Waldo, to put it vaguely, it has something to do with the challenge to the legality of the death penalty.  Some claim lethal injection to be a cruel and unusual punishment.  In my mind nothing could be too cruel and unusual enough to punish the killer of a law enforcement officer doing his duty.  I would not make a good juror on this trial as my mind is already made up as to the guilt and punishment of the defendant.  I did say vaguely, didn't I?  I am sure someone else can clarify it.

[W. Gray]

Thanks Wilma,

I fished around and found an October 2006 article from the Emporia Gazette.

http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2006/oct/26/state_try_scott_cheever_murder/

[Ole Granny]

I certainly hope enough jurors can be found in Greenwood county.  I firmly believe he should be tried there.  I would enjoy being a juror but do not live in the area. Definitely, have my mind is made up.  The term fair is not fair.  The crime that was comminted was not fair.  (I just removed the rest of my story.  It should be put in soap box anyway.  It ended up with Teresa being the heroine.  Those with imagination can write the rest of the story.)

[Wilma]

If you feel as strongly about this as I do, thanks for not putting it all on.  I am afraid that if I had been an officer with Matt at the time, the killer wouldn't have lived through it.  Or even an ambulance attendant if I could have gotten close enough to him.

[Ole Granny]

Ditto