day 5

(9:50) starting half an hour late today, but we're back in session. bailiff says we have the jury room to ourselves today. yay.

(10:40) morning break. the defense attorney is an idiot. complete nincompoop. prosecution dropped the ball on redirect though. i'll make that (missed) point for the prosecution during deliberation. i am more and more convinced that the fastidious, and occasionally anal retentive, note taking is the way to go.

(1:15) "the prosecution rests (tentatively)" praise God Almighty.

turns out there is more people watching traffic (or maybe just better quality of) today than there was for the open air market on friday. we had live music friday, but we got hot dogs and a show today. two raggedy lookin fellas started a shoutin match outside the courthouse. they followed each other all around the parking lot ready to go to blows. at one point, i was suddenly a front row spectator instead of watching from across the street. the funniest moment of the whole ridiculous thing came when the meter maid (literally an old maid) started wagging her finger at the both of them shouting orders not to swing. eventually bicycle cops and courthouse security made their way out and broke up the ordeal. (all the while, a homeless man, toting a backpack, continued his pacing up and down the sidewalk, ranting about a lack of union jobs and sporadically asking us to thank our neighbors) i'm still fairly sure that both men could have only benefited from a bludgeoning to the face. only in downtown stockton can you see such a wide range of people and situations in such a short span of time.

(2:45) afternoon break. defense is cranking thru the witnesses, but there is a repetitive theme. it's to be expected though, since most have been character witnesses. we reached another fork in the road; more like a rooted tree in the river. the jury was recessed so the lawyers could pan things out with the judge. (battery is dying, i'll finish later)

(4:00-ish) i've plugged my phone into my car charger. i'll nurse what juice i can from my dying car battery so i can post this and then call for help. truck ran fine this morning, but won't even turn over now. talk about a full day of events.

defense states they will be calling their last witness tomorrow. the defendant will take the stand. this should prove to be a long day of testimony and questioning by both sides. i know we will be given instruction by the judge before deliberation, but unless we have a huge disagreement amongst us, we may be done a day early. this isn't to say that we have discussed the case as a jury, nor as individuals. we are instructed NOT to discuss it. my feeling is, from talking with the jury members on a social level, that we should be able to discuss and communicate in an open and constructive manor and have little trouble reaching a verdict. not quite summer blockbuster material, but there is the days cliffhanger end to mr. toad's wild ride for the day.

(6:50) I've been home for nearly an hour. I don't care what bob barker, or walter bremley have to say (pets and blood sugar testing, respectively), i'm telling you keep your car in working order. check your battery terminals and clean them often. I was rescued by my motor savvy father-in-law. i'd already tried jumping the engine, jumping ON the engine (i jest), and finally shouting till i was blue in the face (not really). i guess what i'm really trying to say is "don't ask me for advice about your car".