How, and who selects grand juries ? [View all]

[jaysunb]

I know these people are supposedly randomly selected from the voter roles, but I think there may some extra effort put forth as I'm pressed to not believe that prosecutors can find so many pliant people.

My Mother once served on the Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) GJ back in the late 70's. She really took it all very seriously, but was intimidated by the background search they did on her. She told me later that they had questioned her about ME during the process. ( Vietnam war and civil rights protesting, Black Nationalist activities etc.) She and another gentleman were the only blacks that served in that pool. She was in her 50's at the time and had only begun to work part time, but never missed voting in any election.

A newly retired friend was recently summoned to serve on the LA county GJ. An alcoholic, that has rarely voted in the 45 years she's been eligible, and has actually been called multiple times for regular jury duty. Her grand jury invitation came after she told them during a voir dire that she'd vote guilty for most any case because "if the person wasn't guilty, they wouldn't be in that situation." Thank God she was never seated and was too boozed up to properly respond to the GJ invitation.