Corrupt Justice System
By carrotman92
@carrotman92 (446)
United States
June 19, 2009 1:06am CST
Ok, so here is the deal, my dad a diabetic, for the last 42 years. He got a slip in the mail for jury duty. he said he couldnt go, so they gave him 2 deferrals. and he did write them a nasty email. but still... a few days later we got something in the mail that he was going to court because he had a contempt of court charge against him. because he didnt go to jury duty. He didnt go because the last time he did, they wouldnt let him eat, because as you should know, Diabetics need to eat so they dont get low and have seizure kind of incidences. He voted diffrently just to get out of the jury room. and he staggerd to his car, which was parked 1 block away. he told them in the nasty email that if they werent going to give him reasonable accomidations that he wouldnt go. Well he told that to the judge and the diabetic thing, and they judge laughed and smiled, and said "well Mr. ____ we have heard every excuse in the book and yours is no different". what an a$$hole really.
Then that afternoon we had every news channel and Radio station and newspaper in the state of Oregon calling us wanting to get an interveiw. They made him take a tour of the jail, and well the consequences of getting a contempt of court charge was 6 months in jail or a small fine. He finally went to court on that again, and they made him pay the small fine, and ever since we have thought of that as a example. He went in for jury duty again, because we didnt want to go through it again, in the reasonable accomidations he wanted to be able you park close with out using a parking meter, because for the disabled you are suppose to meet those accomidations. he wanted to be able to take food in the court room and he wanted to be able to eat it in there.
He went and did that, the jury coodinator said, that if you eat in the court room then you will be forced to the worst public humilation. and she laughed. there is another Jackass. Ever since, we have hated the justice system.
Tell me what you think! and if you want the link to read the article, ask!
5 responses
@mocha_momo (212)
• United States
19 Jun 09
In the judges defense, you can only imagine how many stories he has heard. And hating the judge for going off of what he's come to know, and what he's been accomodated to in those situations is kind of simple minded. I mean, really, if you want to be angry with someone, it's always the one person who wants to ruin it for everybody else. It's everybody else who made their excuses, and lies, and ruined it for the rest of us. Always one bad apple in the bunch, gets to the point, where yes, it is hard to tell the good ones from the bad ones. Unfortunately for your father, he was a good one, and got screwed. Sometimes you can do everything right and still lose, that doesn't mean you result to doing wrong, you just continue doing what's right. Eventually, sometime, in the end, it will pay off. And I can empathize with you on feeling like the justice system is corrupt. My cousin who was 17 at the time of his conviction was sent away to prison, at just 17, for murder, kidnapping, and so many other reckless charges, only to be told 5 years later, the jury misunderstood their directions when it came down to decision time, he had an unfair trial, and oh yeah what was that last thing, the DNA evidence that linked someone else, wasn't his, there was a mix-up in the lab, it took away his college years, and left him scarred in ways you can't imagine, and put our family through so much. But at some point you have to have justice in the system, in the end it will prevail. And as for your dad voting differently just to get out of the courtroom, that's a bit unfair, he voted in personal gain, granted he wasn't feeling well, but he really should have considered the outcome of that defendant, that was kind of selfish on his part I think.
@carrotman92 (446)
• United States
20 Jun 09
But he knows dam well that my dad was telling the truth, and he decided to "make it fun" for himself and for everyone else in the court. well the department of justice in Washington DC is getting into it and we hope that we can lay down a major retaliation. well in the voting part, yes it is unfair, but the lady was guilty anyway without them needing to decide whether or not. it was personal gain, because if you have ever seen a diabetic, they go into seizures, and they can DIE so yes, if you are having a low blood sugar problem, then you need to go and eat something. or else someone is going to call the ambulance because you are on the ground. and then there is going to be ambulance bills and bills and bills.
I dont think it was selfish because if i were in the same boat, i would do the same. so mocha do you really know what its like to have diabetes ?
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
20 Jun 09
that is really horrible... how can the judge and jury coordinator do that to your father??? what if your father really collapse in the court room??? do they want to be responsible for it??? it is so unfair... may be your father can go to someone higher in the court and lodge a complain... i won't let anybody to do that to my father... i will definitely fight for him... good luck... take care and have a nice day...
@carrotman92 (446)
• United States
20 Jun 09
it is horrible, the county we live in is one of the most screwed up ones in the state. yes, if he collapsed in the courtroom because they wouldnt let him take care of himself, they would have a hefty law suit against them. The Department of Justice in D.C is getting into it,and to other cases like this one.
Thank you!
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
20 Jun 09
Did your father provide the court with documentation from his doctor attesting to his medical condition? I don't know what the reason was for the nasty email but you can't expect consideration if you're not considerate yourself...even in the face of unfair treatment. As far as parking, does your father have a handicapped tag on his vehicle? If not then he's not qualified for parking accommodations...as unfair as that may seem to you and him.
@carrotman92 (446)
• United States
20 Jun 09
he had to provide it. It says in the State of Oregon ADA rules, which he helped write. that you have to have reasonable accomadations, which means he can eat and take care of his self in the court room and have be able to park in a resonable place.
@Autumnrose2008 (1478)
• United States
19 Jun 09
That is the worst thing to do to a person. I wonder how in the world the judge would feel had it been his father being forced to deal with that. You did the right thing by speaking out. To bad that there was not someone with a brain dealing with the situation. Had the judge had a brain I am sure he would have seen the error of his ways. What a shame our justice system has to make up charges against the innocent to pay the salary's of judges that dont do much any way.
@carrotman92 (446)
• United States
20 Jun 09
thank you, i am glad there are people who understand! :)
@nraisor (59)
• United States
20 Jun 09
My first response here is that you should contact an attorney because they do not have the right to deny someone with a legitimate medical condition accommodations so that they can fulfill their civic duties. It is illegal. Secondly, it is sad to say but this story does not surprise me. The entire justice system anymore is a place where you will find the highest amount of prejudice in this nation. Which is sad because it is suppose to be our port in the storm. Often you are guilty before you ever actually get in the courtroom just because of what judges think that they know. I have had more than one friend who has been completely screwed over by our judicial system and there was no reason or justification for it.
Unfortunately for us all, that is the world we live in now. And far to often do we turn a blind eye to it because we don't really care until it affects us or don't think that anything that we can do will really make a difference. The eyes of justice are now tainted by human error and emotion. And all to often, all the wrong people are placed in positions of power.
@carrotman92 (446)
• United States
20 Jun 09
we had an attorney for all of this, and here we are. yes it is illegal and that is why the Department of Justice in Washington DC is getting into it.
