Someone pointed this out in today's Open Thread, and while I haven't quite gotten my blogging groove back, I had to post it:
Some people showing up for jury duty at the Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana this morning were sent home, not because there were no trials for them to hear but because construction had displaced them.
"We've got no place to put these jurors," an irritated Presiding Judge Tom Difanis said this morning. "What am I going to do with them? Have them stand in the construction area?"
Tuckpointing on the old courthouse began last week in advance of the renovation of the courthouse bell tower. The work means that the jury assembly room, on the first floor of the old courthouse at the west end of the courthouse complex, will be out of commission for several months.
"They (county administrators) had their timetable, and we just merely suggested that they make a place for us to put our jurors and they haven't," Difanis said this morning. "I've been with Champaign County going on 36 years. It really doesn't surprise me we're this inept."
Emphasis added.
I've been called for jury duty next week, so it'll be interesting to see what happens with that.
Maybe Judge Difanis could call Herriott's Rentals and have them put up one of those big white party (wedding) tents with the white canvas walls on the lawn of the Courthouse, for the jurors to use....
What a sad joke the County Board has become. Seems like it started about the time the dems took over, doesn't it?
The jurors are welcome to hang out in the back seat of my Studebaker.
The county was running like a well-oiled machine right up until the day those darned Democrats took over?
Let's see, Sheriff Dan Walsh has absolute control over the Courthouse building and Presiding Judge Tom Difanis has control of the judiciary, and Linda Frank is the Circuit Clerk, and these problems started when the Democrats took over the County Board?
Champaign County has a long history of bi-partisan ineptitude.
Let's see, Sheriff Dan Walsh has absolute control over the Courthouse building and Presiding Judge Tom Difanis has control of the judiciary, and Linda Frank is the Circuit Clerk, and these problems started when the Democrats took over the County Board?
Walsh has control of the building security, Difanis has control of the judicial actions, and Frank has control of the file keeping. How do these functions relate to brick and mortar construction? Oh, yes, that's where the County Board comes in.
And Steve Beckett, a Democrat, has control of all construction projects, such as this one, where his county administrator for facilities, Mr. Inman, continues to show his incompetence.
The county was running like a well-oiled machine right up until the day those darned Democrats took over?
Well, Champaign County had never laid off employees until this year. So, I guess if you asked a laid off nursing home employee, they might agree with this statement.
The law is clear: The elected Sheriff has absolute control of the Courthouse building, not simply "security".
Difanis has been with Champaign County 36 years? Perhaps that in itself explains why it's so inept.
"The county was running like a well-oiled machine right up until the day those darned Democrats took over?"
This must be a sick joke. The county has never run well even when they had 50 county board members.
Tempest in a teapot???? Ralph Langenheim
Yep Ralph,,,,,,,just like the county nursing home,,,,,just another tempest in a teapot. You and your crowd need to call it a day,,,,you really do,,,how does it feel to be a rubber stamp to ineptness?
We must maintain county government if for no other reason than the provision of sinecures for otherwise unemployable friends and relatives of various elected officials of both parties.
Looks like the jurors will be using a temporarily empty courtroom: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2008/06/03/displaced_jurors_return_for_duty
Dear Bruce I think you.ve got it backwards: the nursing home is a teapot in a tempest. Ralph Langenheim
Every person called to jury duty should watch the videos linked below. Educate Yourself.
"Jury Nullification" is the power of the Jury to overturn bad laws (of which, we have MANY). It is an important tool guaranteed to citizens serving on jury duty. Jury nullification enables us to declare laws unjust, if we are so inclined. Most Judges do not want you to know about this power. Juries are only told they can rule "guilty" or "not guilty." They are never told of their third option, "the law is bad." Shame on bad Judges covering up this power and the corrupt system which allow these arrogant Judges to remain on the bench.
Part 1 of 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA4GKG__B-s
Part 2 of 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRdse8zBzyI
Part 3 of 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbw8rF_hA9I
Yeah, if you really wanted to make sure you didn't get seated on a jury, you could probably bring up jury nullification and get bounced fast.
Actually Ralph we are both incorrect,,,,,,,the nursing home situation is a damn disgrace,,,,,and should be an acute source of shame to anyone involved in this, All of you folks have all these credentials, degrees,,etc, etc,,,,,,,and still you all were too egotistic,,,and having a basic ignorance that is almost unreal,,,,like something from Dr. Who,,,,,or The Twilight Zone,,,,,,,,Rod Serling would have enjoyed this very much.
Tempest in a teapot???? Ralph Langenheim
It is inexplicable why Ralph, as a sitting county board member, chooses to make these kinds of inane statements about significant issues. Sorry Ralph, but if you could actually add something to the dialogue besides a glib retort, it would be much more productive.
It seems quite clear that the responsibility for this falls smack on Mr. Inman. The reality is, while the sheriff has authority for the courthouse and Difanis for the court schedule, the construction schedule is in the jurisdiction of the county board administrator. He is the one in contact with the construction companies and it is his responsibility to relay the information and timeline to Difanis and work out the details.
Sorry Ralph, but if you could actually add something to the dialogue besides a glib retort, it would be much more productive.
People living in houses with no constructive dialogue should not throw uh, fish.
Xian, for once, you off base on this,
It is a reasonable tactic for those who want off of juries, for sure, but the State's Attorney is only allowed to throw off a few people. They can't throw everybody off, only a few. Judges are no longer Required to tell Juries about their Right to Judge the applicability of the law. On the other hand, responsible citizenship means that we all educate ourselves and one another about our rights as citizens. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, higher than Russia, higher than South Africa...
What are You doing about it?
"The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, higher than Russia, higher than South Africa...
What are You doing about it?"
In the best traditions of individual responsibility and libertarianism, I am working very, very hard to not become incarcerated.
:-)
"The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, higher than Russia, higher than South Africa. What are You doing about it?"
In the best traditions of individual responsibility and libertarianism, I am working very, very hard to not become incarcerated.
:-)
Today's winner of the Brilliant Answer to Stupid Question (hereby abbreviated as simply "BASQ") daily contest. No prize -- IP just gets to "basq" in the glory of victory.
Joan's right. What the heck does "tempest in a teapot" mean? Ralph is on the board right now. Is he saying that the extra cost, time, and embarassment is insignificant and it doesn't need to be resolved? We have no idea because he has these cryptic quotes and throw-away lines, leaving taxpayers scratching their heads. We expect serious explanations and problem solving, not a pat on the head to go play outside.
"The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, higher than Russia, higher than South Africa...
What are You doing about it?"
In the best traditions of individual responsibility and libertarianism, I am working very, very hard to not become incarcerated.
*
Laudable indeed. You are taking care of yourself. Good boy. Now what about the others?
"Every time you closed your eyes and pretended not to see...when you did it not to the least of them, you did it not to Me"
It is inexplicable why Ralph, as a sitting county board member, chooses to make these kinds of inane statements about significant issues. Sorry Ralph, but if you could actually add something to the dialogue besides a glib retort, it would be much more productive. It seems quite clear that the responsibility for this falls smack on Mr. Inman. The reality is, while the sheriff has authority for the courthouse and Difanis for the court schedule, the construction schedule is in the jurisdiction of the county board administrator. He is the one in contact with the construction companies and it is his responsibility to relay the information and timeline to Difanis and work out the details.
It sure looks like to me that Ms. Dykstra and Mr. Langenheim are cohorts and accomplices collaborating in promotion of the whole clock tower fiasco. This observer doesnt understand why they should bite and devour each other now.
For those who are not up on cliches, "tempest in a teapot" means, in this instance, that the commotion about the communication failure leading to a lost day of jury duty is a trivial lapse--not to be considered in the same light as our dire problems with the nursing home. Ralph Langenheim
True,,,,,,,,,,but the aggregate of "trivial" lapses, has been tremendous,,for those of you not up on bumbling, stumbling,and mumbling about such matters.
"The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, higher than Russia, higher than South Africa. What are You doing about it?"
OK, want my real answer? Change the laws that incarcerate non-violent drug offenders for an average of 75.6 months.
Source: Sabol, William J., PhD, Couture, Heather, and Harrison, Paige M., Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2006 (Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, December 2007), NCJ219416, p. 26, Appendix Table 13; and Harrison, Paige M. & Allen J. Beck, PhD, US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2005 (Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, November 2006), p. 10, Table 14.
For those who are not up on cliches, "tempest in a teapot" means, in this instance, that the commotion about the communication failure leading to a lost day of jury duty is a trivial lapse--not to be considered in the same light as our dire problems with the nursing home.
Thanks for explaining. I think people understood the cliche but:
1. Talking in cliches about a front page problem where the presiding judge calls the county inept seems a tad inappropriate and unwise.
2. No one said this issue compares to the disaster that is now the nursing home. But it is a problem and it's not trivial.
OK, want my real answer? Change the laws that incarcerate non-violent drug offenders for an average of 75.6 months.
"Change the laws" - meaning legalize some/all drug use? That would be very libertarian of you too.
"Change the Laws"...
Jury nullification gives a measure of power back to the people to evaluate the applicability of the law, in effect overturning some of these laws and discouraging prosecutors from pursuing some victims and imprisoning them for "violating" unjust laws that the People don't want. Mercy rejoiceth against judgment, as Ralph L. might say (in latin).
I disagree. I think jury nullification gives 12 jurors (or even 1 really stubborn juror)the power to overturn laws created by duly elected representatives.
I disagree.I think jury nullification gives 12 jurors (or even 1 really stubborn juror)the power to overturn laws created by duly elected representatives.
What is there to disagree about? You have it exactly right. Jury nullification gives 12 jurors or even one really stubborn (can we say principled) juror the power to overturn laws created by duly elected representatives.
Jury nullification is the right of jurors today and it always has been since before this country began as a new nation. Did you watch the video?
A notable aspect of the Peter Zenger case is that Alexander Hamilton challenged the legality of the crimes for which his client was being prosecuted. It was one of the first times in American history in which a lawyer challenged the laws rather than the innocence of his clients. The jurors were stunned and didn't know how to, or even if they were allowed to, address whether the law itself was "legal." The verdict was "not guilty".