[today’s run: 6.5 miles]
A bit more about my jury duty:
I found that the circuit court records are online. For $30 I can get a month’s access. So I decided that wasn’t too much for satisfying my curiosity. I found the records of the case I served on. The guy had a history, of course. All of the people in the courtroom that day had been seeing each other for the last 20 years off and on. And they did send him in for psych evaluation multiple times since 2011 including a multi-week in-patient stay. The report is available there for all to see (who are willing to part with $30). Basically, they say he is using it as a strategy to try to get the system to work better for him. The guy even is on Social Security Disability for mental health issues.
They also list some mitigating factors in his life including a bad childhood home situation and years of drug problems. It’s a sad thing.
The other notable document, to me, was the victim statement. He basically said (paraphrasing) “Don’t lock him up. My life is better and I hope he has become a better man.” But from the guy’s performance during the trial I think he is still on the make.
The other big event in the household was a visit from my wife’s Run4 Buddy, Aiden, and his family. They live in the Detroit area and went on a big driving vacation, the first trip in many years. They went out to Colorado then swung down to see us “on the way” back to Michigan. So we got to do things with them for about a day and a half. Mom and Dad and Grandma take turns caring for Aiden and driving. Aiden needs pretty much constant 24×7 observation. He can’t move around enough to get himself out of difficult positions. If his breathing airway got obstructed, he might not be able to adjust his position to fix the issue. Aiden is in a wheelchair and he is easy in restaurants and stuff because he doesn’t make much noise or cause any trouble. So we went out to eat and did other things and had a very nice time.
So for contrast we have a family with a son with very serious physical disabilities and they truck him around and go about their lives and he’s definitely a part of the family. They have visiting nurses and special equipment and lots of ways they have to accommodate his issues. But they are his champions and he’s their son.
Against that we have a 50+ year old man who resorts to deception and occasional physical violence against others to make his way in life, who gets pity from his victim because he is a pitiful case.
Finally, one other note from jury duty. I found the information on that 2nd case, the one I wasn’t picked to serve on. The guy pleaded guilty and in so doing he took responsibility for all of the contraband in the house letting his girlfriend (?) off the hook. So he gets 5 years and she was released.