“Well, excuuuse me,” say potential APS trial jurors
Jury duty, anyone, for the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial? No thanks.
Dozens of prospective jurors were excused this past week because the trial’s expected length of at least three months is producing unbearable hardships for many summoned to serve.
One woman broke down when contemplating how she could stay on top of her job and keep up with her four children, including 5-year-old twins.
Intense pretrial publicity, including the nature of the charges, has also evoked strong feelings from many potential jurors who said they could not fairly and impartially pass judgment on the accused.
The trial began on Aug. 11, but the tedious pace of jury selection is expected to delay individual questioning of qualified jurors until after Labor Day. And there’s no telling when opening arguments will begin.
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About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
