Venireman – Juror. A person summoned to jury duty under a venire (panel).

Now, everyone I know hates jury duty. I don’t. Well, I did while I was working full-time and trying to write and trying to deal with delinquent children and a delinquent husband and two dogs. And then I found myself for the first time at the courthouse in Santa Ana anxious to get the hell out of there, I didn’t have time for this. But then the judge spoke to us like we really mattered. I looked into the face of the accused. Here was a man fighting for his life. I had to make the right decision. And I did. I know that because I couldn’t be impartial. It was a murder, which involved mutilation, something I’d witnessed first hand in the Mau-Mau rebellion. I found myself speaking up, something I’m not very good at–my upbringing and all that–but I did. My decision mattered.

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