Notes from the Jury Box

"Don't Google the case," the judge told us jurors before sending us home for the night, "and don't go to the scene of the alleged crime to do your own research." Interesting that the judge led by prohibiting online research – the kind we're most likely to do today.

"Do you watch crime shows and do you expect the kind of high-tech laboratory evidence that you see on TV?" the prosecuting attorney asked prospective jurors.

Most of the panel said they didn't watch TV or didn't watch crime shows (and isn't nice to lie to a judge). Finally the woman just before me said that she watches NCIS but understood that Vermont police probably don't have the same kind of crime lab. That made it easier for me to admit that I, too, am a fan of Abby Scuito; but that I might be able to render judgment without her testimony. The next juror in line – a man, obviously – said that he watched NCIS because of Ziva. The woman after him said she watches because of Special Agent Gibbs.

There was a plea deal at the last minute so we never did find out what evidence we missed nor what standard we would have held witnesses to.