Scales of Justice

The scales of Justice, or Two Days as a Juror

If you've never had a chance to participate in the American justice system, stop in and have a look some day. I spent two days as a juror and now I'm qualified the comment. A few observations:
Justice is slow, detailed and steady.
Justice isn't Law and Order.
Justice isn't CSI.
Justice isn't perfect.

How and why?

It took the ADA and defense attorney two hours to complete their opening statements. The defense seemed to be padding his statement so as to have something to say.
The ADA laid out his case using two witnesses - a former friend of the defendant and a police officer. He didn't do much in either case to connect the dots.
The ADA would have been better served by having the cop testify to the lab results after finishing his narrative. One step at a time....

The result?
Who Knows. Our little troupe of Jurors never had the opportunity to take a vote. It seems the ADA led the cop's testimony down two simultaneous paths and got caught. The defendant was acquitted and we were sent home before lunch the second day.