rockin'robin
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Woman Says No One Else Could Watch Them
PONTIAC, Mich. -- A Michigan mother said she was ordered to jail for bringing her two young children with her to jury duty because she could not find someone to watch them, Detroit TV station WDIV reported.
Carmela Khury, 37, said she had no other choice but to bring her 3-year-old daughter and 8-month-old son to an Oakland County circuit court last Thursday.
Khury said her husband was at work, the children’s grandmother was getting oral surgery and none of her friends were available.
Khury said she called the court’s clerk office to make them aware of her situation and to say that she would be late.
Khury said when she arrived, Judge Leo Bowman dismissed her from the jury pool but ordered her to return Friday and watch the trial as a spectator, and told her she would have to serve 24 hours in jail at the end of the case.
“I was saying, ‘What choice did I have? What did you want me to do?’” Khury said. "It's not like I didn't show up for jury duty. I showed up for jury duty Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I had a problem on Thursday."
Khury said the children’s grandmother was able to watch them Friday for her.
The complaint ultimately reached the state court administrative offices, which advised Bowman to immediately cease holding Khury as a spectator.
She was released Monday.
“These are my kids. I know they may not have been important to him, but this is my priority,” Khury said.
Bowman's staff said making a statement about a specific juror would be inappropriate, but that he would be able to comment after the trial ended.
Juror Punished For Bringing Kids To Court - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville
PONTIAC, Mich. -- A Michigan mother said she was ordered to jail for bringing her two young children with her to jury duty because she could not find someone to watch them, Detroit TV station WDIV reported.
Carmela Khury, 37, said she had no other choice but to bring her 3-year-old daughter and 8-month-old son to an Oakland County circuit court last Thursday.
Khury said her husband was at work, the children’s grandmother was getting oral surgery and none of her friends were available.
Khury said she called the court’s clerk office to make them aware of her situation and to say that she would be late.
Khury said when she arrived, Judge Leo Bowman dismissed her from the jury pool but ordered her to return Friday and watch the trial as a spectator, and told her she would have to serve 24 hours in jail at the end of the case.
“I was saying, ‘What choice did I have? What did you want me to do?’” Khury said. "It's not like I didn't show up for jury duty. I showed up for jury duty Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I had a problem on Thursday."
Khury said the children’s grandmother was able to watch them Friday for her.
The complaint ultimately reached the state court administrative offices, which advised Bowman to immediately cease holding Khury as a spectator.
She was released Monday.
“These are my kids. I know they may not have been important to him, but this is my priority,” Khury said.
Bowman's staff said making a statement about a specific juror would be inappropriate, but that he would be able to comment after the trial ended.
Juror Punished For Bringing Kids To Court - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville
