My Civic Duty

You know this case?

I know it very well.  Because I was on the jury.

It's all public knowledge now.  And it was truly an exhausting experience.

The facts of the case:

• the defendant got higher than a kite, broke into the home of a complete stranger and shot him.  he then faceplanted THROUGH a glass door, fell over a balcony then hid under a car like a 3 year old that is very bad at hide and seek and cried for Jesus.
• The defendant's DNA was all over the house.  His prints were on the gun found on the scene.  The ballistics report said the gun on the scene was the murder weapon.
• In the Commonwealth of Virginia Voluntary Intoxication is no excuse for murder.

I now double and triple check every door and window before I go to sleep at night.  I have nightmares about the video of the body on the floor with the dog jumping around it.  I don't know how I'll handle hearing gunfire.

The defendant's mother apologized to the family of the victim.  I knew if I started crying then, I wouldn't stop.  I came home numb.  Like I'd used all of my emotion for the day.

Folks, don't do drugs.  Especially at the home of someone that you met online and saw in person for the first time that day.  And for heaven's sake, if you are higher than a kite, don't pick up a gun!