Meanwhile, just up the road from Tulia

http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/122905/loc_122905037.shtml

Jailing of potential juror stirs rights uproar
BY ELLIOTT BLACKBURN
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL


A Latino civil rights organization requested Wednesday that federal agencies investigate why a 59-year-old Dimmitt woman had to spend Christmas in jail.

District Judge Ed Self found Lupe Ogas in contempt of court last week when she refused to cooperate during a hearing to determine why she did not show up for jury duty in August.

Self said Ogas was disrespectful in court and refused to serve on jury duty, but her son said she did not understand the hearing and should not have been sent to jail for the holidays.

A translator was not present during the hearing. Ogas could not be reached Wednesday.

"She understands English, but the English law, to older people, is a little bit different because they don't understand very well," her son David Ogas said. "She feels like the judge threw her in there like a dog."

Ogas was jailed after the Dec. 22 hearing. She served less than a week of the possible six-month penalty for contempt and was released Wednesday, Self said.

She was offered a January date to make up the jury duty service, or could pay a fine or do community service, Self said. More than 20 other residents faced with similar options chose to come back in January, he said.

The contempt finding was the same thing he would have done for any citizen that was defying the court and refusing to fulfill their civic duty, Self said.

He doubted Ogas needed a translator or did not understand the process.

"She understands English perfectly," Self said. "She carried on a conversation with me more than 10, 15 minutes in English, with no indication that she had trouble understanding."


First of all, a "conversation" occurs when both respondants speak and listen. The story goes on to say that she had previously been convicted and incarcerated for murder(?) and thought that the DA was trying to get her to plead guilty to not receiving her summons.

she is a felon and CAN'T legally serve on a jury, therefore she should be free to go. case closed.

The judge doubted Ogas needed a translator or did not understand the process. Sounds like a Senator Frist kind of analysis. He could judge her understanding and comprehension of the law, in a 10 minute conversation he had with her. Probably where he was asking yes and no questions, I'm sure.

Juror beware!

Sonia