Texas man jailed 83 days for skipping jury duty

Texas man jailed 83 days for skipping jury duty

www.msnbc.msn.com

McKINNEY, Texas - A man arrested for allegedly failing to appear for jury duty was released Saturday after spending 83 days in jail, a length of detention that a judge called "unacceptable."

Douglas Maupin was released a day after The Dallas Morning News brought his plight to the attention of a Collin County judge.

Maupin, a masonry contractor, was arrested Feb. 15 after police pulled him over for speeding. Police then detained him on a 2003 warrant for failure to appear for jury duty.

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Lately there have been several incidents where minor infractions or misdemeanors have been dealt with harsh punitive action. Is a message being delivered?

I guess we have to walk on eggshells, or be more responsible than the offenders. Do you feel that this action was justified? Why are these authorities dealing such harsh blows to minor offenders?

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Justified? No. I did less time on a drug conviction a while back. Poor guy.

Oldner also said that Maupin should have been allowed to apply for a public defender.

Maupin, 34, said he just wanted his day in court.

"I do know I have the right to due process and a speedy trial," he said. "I've had neither. It's not right."

Wow. From the article it seems like he never even got a trial!

I'm willing to bet that he was detained, his paperwork was lost, and he was essentially forgotten about until his letter reached the newspaper. How long would the man have had to wait in jail had he not sent that letter? The rest of his life? The district judge wasn't even aware of the circumstances of his imprisonment!

Prison sentences should be for violent and repeat offenders only, not victimless crimes like skipping out on jury duty.

You don't have a trial w/ misdameanor cases. You simply see the magestrate and he tells you what's what. He wouldn't have gotten out if he hadn't seen the magistrate so, yea, that was his "trial".

Oh man. I didn't wanna miss school for Jury Duty a couple weeks ago..... That would suck.

Damn glad I am not that guy.

reply to post by drwizardphd


Who knows.

There are cases where people convicted of murder, sitting on death row, have had new evidence surface that clears them without a shadow of a doubt and it takes them thousands of dollars/hundreds (if not thousands) of hours to get themselves off death row...let alone prison.

Every time I hear about something like that, I just can't wrap my mind around it. There is absolutely no doubt they are innocent...and they are forced to sit in prison/on death row for weeks, months, years. And every time I am always surprised that this is not something that is a 'once and a life time' [snip] up for the courts.



To the OP:

The 'message being delivered' which you hint at is loud and clear.

Local judges in certain areas (many) have been making lots of noise about the mandatory minimums for certain crimes. The main complaint? These sentances are ridiculous and counter productive to rehabilitation --the crack vs. coke laws are a well known and academically stable example.

Yet decisions/chatter coming down from higher courts is almost entirely against the position of the local judges, who would appear to be trying to fix at least one cog in a very broken rehabilitation system.

And yes, it should be about rehabilitation in anything that has you being sent to county jail for anything besides holding for transfer to prison.

They intend to release you as a new and improved self; yet the jail system is the most broken and innefective part to the judicial whole. It is broken to an extent that one begins to think that rehabilitation is nothing more than a pretty word they like to throw around.

Originally posted by -NewSense-
You don't have a trial w/ misdameanor cases. You simply see the magestrate and he tells you what's what. He wouldn't have gotten out if he hadn't seen the magistrate so, yea, that was his "trial".

Wrong.

You always have the option to go with a trial by jury. Even with something minor like a speeding ticket.

That's pretty scary. I usually don't go to jury duty. I always figured I would ask them if they sent the letter by registered mail. No? I didn't get it. Prove that I did.

Maybe I'll start going now!

Poor guy, I hope he's gets some compensation!

Originally posted by Lookingup
That's pretty scary. I usually don't go to jury duty. I always figured I would ask them if they sent the letter by registered mail. No? I didn't get it. Prove that I did.

Maybe I'll start going now!

Poor guy, I hope he's gets some compensation!

same here. I didnt bother to go last time, and like you said, prove I got it in the mail. Because even if they dont want you you can end up there all day. Oh and for the record, if its county court just tell them you advocate drugs and they'll usually send you home since alot of cases involve petty crimes like that. luckily I have been arrested 5 times for many things and they view me as biased lol.

anarchy!!

reply to post by xxpigxx


Without knowing the details, you are 100% correct. Usually, bench warrants are issued by the judge if the defendant fails to appear, AND is found guilty in absentia.

Still, most misdemeanors carry a max of like 30 days. 83 days is excessive, and it sounds like Mr. Maupin has the makings of a great lawsuit.

Actually misdameanors hold a max of 180 days. And as far as me being wrong about non misdameanor trials....I've had 4 misdameanor convictions neither of which were brought to trial even if I debated it. I was even denied a court appointed lawyer twice. You get what they give you, that's how it works. You sign for your time or you get probation. Unless of course you have money to throw at em..

[edit on 9-5-2009 by -NewSense-]

Hell - a drunk driver can run over a kid and get off with a fine. I guess the "legal" system needs jurors bad and really hates it when they don't show up.

Originally posted by -NewSense-
Actually misdameanors hold a max of 180 days.

No the max is a year. Misdemeanors are crimes with a max penalty of a year. If it's above a year it's a felony. If the crime is punishable by just a fine then it's classed an infraction.

Wow he must have slipped through the cracks.

I've read of people being arrested and sent to Riker Island for minor offenses, and getting lost in the system for months !

Originally posted by drwizardphd Prison sentences should be for violent and repeat offenders only, not victimless crimes like skipping out on jury duty.

If you skip out on jury duty, you are letting down the system that you would expect to be there if you needed it. Serving on a jury is one of the most basic tenets of our society, and an essential part of the rule of law. One is supposed to be entitled to be judged by a jury of their peers. They've gotta show up.

And he's crying that he was ill-served? There's a delicious irony there...

I'll tell ya one thing, if buddy is still entitled to...I'm betting he'll show up next time.

reply to post by Make Speed Limit 45

Lol. ACTUALLY...-snicker- all county jails require a 2 for 1 a day sentence. So, your "year" turns into 180 day, automatic. Make trustee you get 3 for 1. Work outside you get 4 for 1.

Originally posted by spines


There are cases where people convicted of murder, sitting on death row, have had new evidence surface that clears them without a shadow of a doubt and it takes them thousands of dollars/hundreds (if not thousands) of hours to get themselves off death row...let alone prison.

The legal system has been turned into just a money game. People are being arrested for minor things that have NO justification for arrest just to maintain a case load level so that they can justify their high paying jobs. Just this past week, an article came out in our paper about the amount of traffic fines collected has dropped since our new sheriff has taken office. I talked to my county commissioner about the article because he was the main person complaining. I told him that the main reason traffic fines were down is that it is partly because of the high price of gas has stopped lots of people from driving. Even now with the price as low as it is, people just haven't started back to driving as much as they did before. I also reminded him that generating income was NOT their main purpose, it is to protect us from criminals. Our new sheriff has made a lot of drug raids since he took office. The deputies are impressed with him. The are saying that when they go on a raid, he puts on his bullet proof vest and goes with them and they are just not used to that happening.

The judges are corrupt. We have had 2 judges arrested in our circuit and one is facing 30 years in jail right now. My brother is facing going before one shortly against his ex wife and we know that her father has paid them off, but what can you do? Nothing, it has turned into a money game. The only justice you can get in this country is the amount that you can pay for.

In my opinion, these people that are put in prison for a long time that are proven innocent should be well compensated. But the only problem with this is that if too many are found innocent, their innocence will be covered up to save money.

While serving on jury duty is a serious part of citizenship, if one is absolutely stressed to perform jury duty, there is a solution.

When the judge asks if there's any reason you can't render a fair verdict, you reply,

"No, your Honor. I can listen to the evidence, and render a fair verdict. After all, they wouldn't be here if they weren't guilty."

But you gotta hold a straight face.

You'll be thrown out so fast, you'll be lucky to not bounce.

i've never gone, just thrown it in the trash and pretend i never saw it..

why are we forced to do it? and then if we don't we get thrown in Jail now...this is unacceptable