People these days in America are very reluctant and even squeamish to be chosen to be on a jury and a high profile case. Things get leaked out as the jury deliberates inevitably and people are seriously scared in these high profile cases of somehow being found out or targeted based on their decisions. Even at a local level for a very low level case in 1991, a friend of mine did not want to be chosen to serve on a jury because he said he was afraid. The case involved a pitbull which had attacked his neighbors 5 year old daughter. He was afraid....
Sometimes the stories sound rational on their surface. "It would be a financial hardship to miss work." They have caretaking obligations with ill or aging family members. They have physical handicaps that would interfere with sitting for long periods or they have difficulty hearing.
I would say citizens who are not at all eager to be on juries, just as those who are OVERLY eager to be on juries, may not be the best people to have deciding your case.
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