Trying My Patience

Oh my. A juror must come off the Scott Peterson trial. What to do? Geesh.. I guess I’m just not mainstream because I totally don’t get why we care about this trial. When it all began I couldn’t help but wonder why this particular case was so vital and important. I mean there are about 43 homicides per day in the United States and I would guess among those numbers, there are quite a few domestic cases with pregnant women. And it’s not like there are any celebrities involved. Yesterday I overhead a commentator on the TV in our work break room become emotionally upset about the loss of a juror. Can you imagine? He lost it – he was so upset. There are web sites that describe the jurors in detail, transcribe every last dialogue in the trial. I haven’t looked, but I’m sure there are daily TV shows dedicated to it. What gives? Certainly I don’t diminish the crime and I would certainly hope that a fair trial is served and justice is done. But is it possible to have a fair trial when so much media attention is on it?

I’m thinking that we are destined to have one ‘big’ trial going on all the time in the media. I guess the appeal is the same appeal as reality shows - unscripted real people in real situations. It’s that voyeuristic part of us that draws us to these trials like flies to, well, you know.

Oh well, I’m off to go take a boat out to the lake and see if I can stay afloat while throwing a 130 pound lumpy bag off the side...